Adjustment Disorder

Description

Adjustment disorder is a common but under-recognised stress response condition. Pharmacists, often the first point of contact, can identify symptoms such as anxiety, low mood, or insomnia, provide counselling on safe medicine use, support stress-management strategies, and refer patients for further care—helping reduce the risk of progression to more severe mental health conditions.

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity, pharmacists should be able to:

• Recognise the key clinical features, epidemiology, and risk factors of adjustment disorder in the South African context.
• Differentiate adjustment disorder from overlapping conditions such as major depression, PTSD, and bereavement.
• Apply practical strategies in pharmacy practice to support patients through counselling, safe medicine use, stress management advice, and timely referral.

Expires 31st December 2025