Adjustment disorder is a disorder where an individual is unable to cope with a life stressor or stressors. It can be difficult to distinguish from a normal reaction to traumatic life events, but the diagnosis can be given in cases where the reaction is severe and results in significant impairment in social, occupational or academic functioning. Stressors can be single, recurrent or continuous events. Adjustment disorder is considered acute when its duration is shorter than six months, and chronic when exceeding a duration of six months.