Acute Stress Disorder - Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

Acute stress disorder (ASD) involves mental distress, which continues for a few days or months. Symptoms include unresponsiveness towards situations or people and dissociative amnesia. With this condition, you may lose the memory of certain experiences or traumatic events, which causes you this condition. 

A history of mental illnesses and sudden mishaps may cater to this condition. However, treatments such as therapy and medication help manage this condition effectively. Keep reading to learn more.

ASD is an unpleasant, intense and dysfunctional condition beginning shortly as a reaction against an overwhelming traumatic experience. The condition is short-term, but, if it surpasses a month, it may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

Exact statistics of people with this disorder are unknown. Further, Severe or recurrent episodes of trauma increase the likelihood of developing this disorder.

Several behavioural symptoms cater to this disorder. These symptoms fall into the following broad categories:

1. Intrusion Symptoms

The symptoms occur when a person experiences repeated visits to the memory of causative events. As a result, the person is unable to stop revisiting the mishaps through flashbacks, dreams and visions.

2. Dissociative Symptoms

These symptoms include losing memory of the causative event and losing awareness of what is happening around them. In addition, the person experiences an altered sense of reality.

3. Negative Mood

The symptoms involve nurturing negative thoughts while continuously being in a sad mood. The low mood persists with an inability to let go of memories of trauma.

4. Avoidance Symptoms

People experiencing the symptoms tend to avoid thoughts, feelings, people and places associated with the causative event of trauma.

5. Arousal Symptoms

These symptoms include sleeping problems such as insomnia and other disturbances. In addition, these symptoms include irritability and aggression, trouble concentrating and being startled easily.

Causes of this disorder often include events that are life-threatening or are rather perceived as life-threatening that cause extreme fear, helplessness and horror. Traumatic situations that can cause ASD are as follows:

• A person having experiences of physical abuse, including domestic violence or sexual assault
• A  person facing impossible challenges in life with an inability to overcome the same

A person may develop ASD at any age. Studies even suggest that females above 40 years of age are greater victims of this condition. Factors that appear as risk factors increasing the proximity of this condition include the following:

• A person having a history of other mental disorders
• Having past knowledge or witnesses of traumatic events
• Having a history of dissociative reactions to traumatic events in the past

Physicians administer the following processes in order to diagnose ASD by observing the symptoms mentioned above:

• After visiting a primary doctor, he/she may refer you to a mental healthcare expert to further treat your condition after performing a physical examination
• The mental healthcare professional may perform a psychiatric assessment, such as questioning you about how you feel.
• A comparative study of this condition is done based on previously recorded symptoms of similar conditions to deduce the right treatment.

The treatment of ASD is effective enough and includes the following processes:

• Doctors often recommend cognitive behavioural therapy as the first line of treatment. This speech therapy discusses ways to cope with the overwhelming emotions one experiences in trauma.
• Therapists even recommend mindfulness-based interventions, which include deep breathing and meditation techniques.
• Doctors may even recommend certain medications, such as anti-depressants and anti-convulsants, to manage this condition.

Refer to a doctor observing the following early signs of ASD in a person:

• A person experiencing sleeplessness or having trouble sleeping
• The person stays indifferent without properly responding to those circumstances. 

It is possible to manage this condition with the help of the processes described above. Some additional preventive measures may, however, include the following:

• Indulging in self-care, which includes ensuring personal safety.
• Maintaining a healthy routine of proper sleep, exercise and diet.
• Keeping busy with productive activities throughout the day is a way to ensure staying distracted from gloomy memories.
• Keeping away from alcohol and substance abuse in order to ensure overall well-being.

The condition of acute stress disorder being uncommon, may often go unnoticed and hence may lead to increasing severity of the symptoms. This might later lead to a rather prolonged PTSD. 

It is hence necessary to look out for obvious signs of low mood and dissociative conditions in a person or self. This may ensure receiving an effective cure for the disorder at the earliest.