ASD
Acute stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that in many ways mimics PTSD in terms of symptoms. Much like PTSD, acute stress disorder occurs following a traumatic event. The primary difference between the two conditions is that acute stress disorder usually happens very shortly after a trauma, and symptoms subside in a considerably shorter amount of time. For most patients, symptoms resolve within a few days, and for a diagnosis of acute stress disorder to be made, they cannot last more than a month after the trauma. This is not the say that the disorder is not distressing or that it is any less painful for the patient, however.
Gender does not seem to play a role in the development of acute stress disorder, though age does seem to be a factor. The disorder is more common among young people, perhaps because they lack the experience needed to properly cope with traumatic events. People with prior psychological problems, such as a history of depression, or prior exposure to trauma are also more likely to develop the condition, as well as those who have poor support systems.
Acute stress disorder is more common after traumatic human acts, such as terrorism, violent crimes, and war than natural disasters. Motor vehicle accidents also commonly cause the disorder. About one in five people who are involved in a severe car accident develop the condition, as well as about one in three survivors of violent assaults.
What Are the Symptoms?
There are many symptoms associated with acute stress disorder, including the symptoms that are common with PTSD. Re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyper arousal are all symptom clusters that are used in diagnosing acute stress disorder. In addition, the following symptoms are typical for people with this disorder and usually appear during or immediately following the trauma.
- A sense of numbing, detachment, or the lack of emotional responsiveness
- A reduction in awareness of one’s surroundings
- Derealization, or an alteration in perception of the world that makes it seem strange or unreal
- Depersonalization, or an alteration in the perception of the self where the person feels detached from their own body
- Dissociative amnesia, or forgetting information regarding or related to the trauma
- Re-experiencing the trauma
- Significant anxiety
- Irritability
- Trouble concentrating
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- A sense of restlessness
- Trouble experiencing a sense of pleasure
The Causes of Acute Stress Disorder
As previously mentioned, acute stress disorder occurs as a response to trauma or trauma exposure. Traumas that can create this disorder usually involve threats to the life or the safety of the victim as well as a feeling of intense fear. The severity and duration of the trauma can often play a role in whether or not a patient develops acute stress disorder.