|
Acute
Stress Disorder
Category
Anxiety
Disorders
Etiology
By
definition, acute stress disorder is a result of a traumatic event in
which the person experienced or witnessed an event that involved
threatened or actual serious injury or death and responded with intense
fear and helplessness.
Symptoms
Symptoms
include dissociative symptoms such as numbing, detachment, a reduction in
awareness of the surroundings, derealization, or depersonalization;
re-experiencing of the trauma, avoidance of associated stimuli, and
significant anxiety, including irritability, poor concentration,
difficulty sleeping, and restlessness. The symptoms must be present
for a minimum of two days and a maximum of four weeks and must occur
within four weeks of the traumatic event for a diagnosis to be made.
See also Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.
Treatment
The
disorder may resolve itself with time or may develop into a more severe
disorder such as PTSD. Medication can be used for a very short
duration (up to four weeks) or psychotherapy can be utilized to assist the
victim in dealing with the fear and sense of helplessness.
Prognosis
Prognosis
for this disorder is very good. If it should progress into another
disorder, success rates can vary according to the specific of that
disorder.
|
