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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffWhen you face a stressful event or major life change, you can take some steps to care for your emotional well-being. Do what works for you. For example:
- Talk things over with caring family and friends.
- Try to keep eating a healthy diet.
- Stick to a regular sleep routine.
- Get regular physical activity.
- Engage in a hobby you enjoy.
- Find a support group geared toward your situation.
- Find support from a faith community.
If it's your child who's having difficulty adjusting, take these steps to help:
- Offer encouragement to talk about his or her feelings.
- Offer support and understanding.
- Reassure your child that such reactions are common.
- Ask your child's teacher to check on progress or problems at school.
- Let your child make simple decisions, such as what to eat for dinner or which movie to watch.
If you use these kinds of self-care steps but they don't seem to be helping, be sure to talk to your doctor.
References
- Adjustment disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Dec. 8, 2010.
- Strain JJ, et al. Adjustment disorders. In: Hales RE, et al.. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2008. http://www.psychiatryonline.com/resourceToc.aspx?resourceID=5. Accessed Dec. 8, 2010.
- Casey P. Adjustment Disorder: Epidemiology, Diagnosis and Treatment. CNS Drugs. 2009;23:927.
- Fighting stress with healthy habits. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/StressManagement/FightStressWithHealthyHabits/Fight-Stress-with-Healthy-Habits_UCM_307992_Article.jsp. Accessed Dec. 8, 2010.
- Childhood stress. The Nemours Foundation. http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/stress.html#. Accessed Dec. 8, 2010.
- Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 15, 2010.
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