Discussion Focusing on Individuals with Major Adjustment Issues

Discussion Focusing On Individuals with Major Adjustment Issues

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        Adjustment refers to the psychological processes that occur over time as the individual, and those in their social world, manage, learn and adapt to the multitude of changes which have been precipitated by the illness and its treatment (Brennan, 2001) . They occur regularly, having a detrimental impact on people and their relatives. Adjustment issue is a short term condition involving the development of extreme emotional or behavioural symptoms that is attributed to major life events. For example, getting a divorce, death in the family, losing your job, being a victim in a crime, an accident are all major life events. This adjustment issue can be resolved once an individual is able to adapt to the situation at hand. In this paper, two cases of individuals who are prone to major adjustment issues of whom through a divorce, be it the parents, children and those that are affected through sexual assault.

Divorce Adjustment

        Divorce is still a major family, social science and psychology research area with many trying to understand the reasons for a divorce and how people try to adjust after a divorce. Divorce can be one of the most stressful events a person experiences. An article on GoodTherapy.org stated that "even for the partner who chooses to leave, divorce is likely to bring up a range of painful and difficult emotions such as grief, guilt, anger, confusion, fear, shame, anxiety, and other intense feelings. If children are involved, the stress level is likely to be even higher". Adjusting to changes that occur after a divorce are very devastating and take time. It is noted that newly divorced people, whether he or she initiated it or not, their lives take a twist of turns profoundly affecting them and the people around them due to the situation they are in. Stressors like financial status, employment, or housing may affect their state of mind. It's even worse when one starts to lose friends and family members due to divorce where the status quo changes, guilt as a parent of a divorced child may be overwhelming. Hence, may lead to total breakdown of a person because there would have to be arrangements on how to bring up the kids as divorcees and at times prove difficult leaving the court to be the only resolve.

        Commencing a new life with a healthy perspective is very difficult after a divorce especially on the children (Mandemakers and Kalmijn, 2014) since they will have to choose a single guardian. They will have to make a choice on the parent they would wish to end up with in case of a peaceful divorce procedure. The other parent will have to program a schedule on what times they can see his or her children.

Adjustment from sexual assault

        Sexual assault is where a victim is forced to submit to genital, oral or other sexual acts. It often may lead to other aggression, abuse and degradation against their will. Victims of sexual assault (assuming a male offender and a female offender) are usually at a risk of unintended pregnancy. Sexually transmitted disease or infections, mental health conditions and others make it difficult for one to adjust after such an ordeal. During a sexual assault the victim loses control over her life and in some cases a rape-trauma syndrome often occurs. There has been little research on psychological adjustment of victims of sexual assault and, thus, it's very difficult for victims to deal with it which usually threatens life time adjustment issues. People are more concerned on treatment and support of which many professionals are very much reluctant to subject a victim to evaluations on his or her mental state. Victims find it hard to cope after rape since its shameful. It is an act that involves their right to will being snatched from them by the perpetrator.