What Is Acute Stress Disorder?

Anxiety

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a mental health disorder characterized by multiple symptoms that can significantly disrupt an individual’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Understanding the clinical features, diagnostic criteria, and treatment options for ASD is paramount in helping those affected by the disorder recover. Timely recognition and intervention are essential, as untreated acute stress disorder can evolve into chronic and more debilitating mental health conditions. The mental health treatment providers at our Banyan rehab in Lake Worth provide a comprehensive overview of acute stress disorder, emphasizing the importance of precise assessment and evidence-based therapeutic approaches.

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a mental health condition that occurs in response to exposure to a traumatic event. Acute stress disorder signs and symptoms and emotional reactions typically manifest within three days to four weeks following the traumatic incident.

ASD encompasses a range of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral disturbances, including intrusive and distressing recollections of the traumatic event, persistent avoidance of reminders of the trauma, negative changes in mood and cognition, and heightened arousal. These symptoms can lead to significant impairment in an individual’s daily functioning and overall quality of life. Differentiating ASD from normal stress reactions is important, as timely recognition and appropriate treatment can prevent the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other chronic mental health issues.

What Are the 5 Categories of Acute Stress Disorder?

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is typically categorized into five primary symptoms, as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), a widely used diagnostic tool in the field of mental health.

The five major acute stress disorder categories are:

Intrusion symptoms: These symptoms refer to persistent and distressing recurring experiences of a traumatic event. Intrusion symptoms may include repeated memories, flashbacks, nightmares, or intense psychological distress when exposed to reminders of the trauma.
Negative mood and cognition: This category refers to symptoms related to a persistent negative emotional state and changes in thought patterns. These may include ongoing feelings of fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame. Individuals with ASD may also have trouble recalling specific details of the traumatic event or exhibit distorted cognitions about themselves or others.
Dissociation symptoms: ASD dissociation symptoms involve a sense of detachment from oneself or the immediate surroundings. Individuals with ASD may feel as if they are in a daze, experience reduced awareness of their surroundings, or feel disconnected from their thoughts, feelings, or bodies.
Avoidance: Avoidance symptoms entail deliberate efforts to avoid reminders of a traumatic event. This may include avoiding conversations, thoughts, or feelings associated with the trauma, as well as avoiding external triggers or situations that might evoke distressing memories.
Arousal symptoms: Arousal symptoms refer to heightened physiological reactivity and increased vigilance. Individuals with ASD may experience difficulties with concentration, irritability, exaggerated startle responses, sleep disturbances, and a state of hypervigilance.

Acute Stress Disorder vs. PTSD

If you’ve ever heard of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), you might think that ASD sounds similar. Acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder are two closely related mental health conditions that share similarities but also exhibit key differences. ASD and PTSD are similar in that they both stem from exposure to traumatic events and can significantly impact an individual’s psychological well-being, but they are different in their timing, duration, and specific symptom criteria.

ASD is typically a short-term, acute reaction to a traumatic event. To receive a diagnosis, an individual must display a specific set of acute stress disorder symptoms within three days to four weeks following the traumatic incident. These symptoms encompass intrusive thoughts, negative mood and cognitive changes, dissociation, avoidance behaviors, and heightened arousal.

If ASD symptoms persist beyond the four-week timeframe, the diagnosis may shift to PTSD. ASD can be seen as an initial reaction to trauma and serves as an early warning sign that an individual is struggling to cope with a traumatic experience.

On the other hand, PTSD is a chronic and enduring condition. To receive a diagnosis of PTSD, an individual must exhibit these symptoms for more than one month, and these symptoms often persist for months or even years after the traumatic event has occurred. While the symptom categories in PTSD are similar to those in ASD, they are more entrenched and can lead to long-term impairment in daily life.

Another key distinction between the two disorders is the onset of symptoms. ASD symptoms emerge shortly after the trauma, whereas PTSD symptoms can have a delayed onset, sometimes appearing six months or more after the traumatic incident. This delayed onset is a typical feature of PTSD.

Comparing PTSD versus acute stress disorder is essential for mental health professionals to provide appropriate assessment, intervention, and support for individuals affected by these conditions. Early recognition of ASD can be critical in preventing the development of chronic PTSD, emphasizing the importance of timely and effective treatment.

Is Acute Stress Disorder the Same As Anxiety?

Anxiety is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of conditions, including PTSD and acute stress disorders. While they’re not the same, acute stress disorder can be considered a form of anxiety. What’s more, individuals with ASD often experience anxious thoughts and feelings that something bad may happen as a result of the trauma they’ve experienced or have been exposed to.

Acute Stress Disorder DSM 5

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a diagnostic category defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), which is a widely used classification system for mental health disorders. ASD is characterized by specific criteria outlined in the DSM-5 that mental health professionals use for diagnosis.

Here are the acute stress disorder criteria as per the DSM-5:

Criterion A: Exposure to Trauma

The individual has been exposed to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation in one or several of the following ways:¹
- Directly experiencing the traumatic event(s).
- Witnessing the event in person as it occurred to others.
- Learning that the event(s) occurred to a loved one.
- Experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to details of the traumatic event(s) (e.g., first responders being exposed to distressing details of a case or incident).

Criterion B: Intrusion Symptoms

The individual must experience nine or more of the following symptoms from any of the five categories: intrusion, negative mood, dissociation, avoidance, and arousal. These symptoms include recurrent memories, nightmares, flashbacks, dissociation, intense psychological distress, or physiological reactivity in response to reminders of the trauma.¹

Criterion C: Negative Mood and Cognition

The individual must exhibit persistent and distorted negative beliefs or expectations about oneself, others, or the world, or an inability to experience positive emotions.¹

Criterion D: Dissociation Symptoms

The individual may experience persistent and marked symptoms of dissociation. These symptoms can include an altered sense of reality, an inability to remember important aspects of the trauma or a sense of detachment from oneself.¹

Criterion E: Avoidance Symptoms

The individual must display persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event, such as avoiding thoughts, feelings, or conversations about the event, or avoiding external reminders like people, places, or activities.¹

Criterion F: Arousal Symptoms

The individual must exhibit marked symptoms of increased arousal, including irritability, outbursts of anger, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, and an exaggerated startle response.¹

Criterion G: Duration

The disturbance (symptoms in Criteria B, C, D, and E) lasts for a minimum of three days and a maximum of four weeks after the traumatic event.¹

Criterion H: Functional Impairment

The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.¹

Criterion I: Exclusion

The disturbance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., medication, alcohol) or another medical condition.¹

An individual must meet all the criteria for acute stress disorder outlined in the DSM-5 to receive a diagnosis. If the signs and symptoms of acute stress disorder persist beyond four weeks, the diagnosis may be changed to PTSD. Accurate diagnosis and timely intervention are essential for providing appropriate care and support to individuals who have experienced a traumatic event and are exhibiting signs of acute stress disorder.

What Are 3 Major Symptoms of Acute Stress Disorder?

While ASD is characterized by a range of symptoms, three major symptoms are:

Intrusive thoughts and memories: Individuals with ASD frequently experience distressing and intrusive thoughts related to the traumatic event. These thoughts include recurrent, involuntary memories of the trauma, distressing dreams or nightmares, or flashbacks in which they feel as if they are reliving the traumatic incident. These intrusive experiences can be highly distressing and disruptive to daily life.
Avoidance behaviors: Another prominent symptom in ASD is the avoidance of reminders associated with the traumatic event. This can include avoiding thoughts, conversations, or feelings related to the trauma, as well as avoiding people, places, or activities that trigger distressing memories. Avoidance behaviors are an attempt to shield oneself from the emotional pain and discomfort associated with the trauma.
Increased arousal: Heightened arousal symptoms are also a key feature of ASD. Individuals may experience increased irritability, outbursts of anger, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, and an exaggerated startle response. This heightened state of physiological and emotional reactivity can lead to significant discomfort and interference with daily functioning.

Finding Acute Stress Disorder Treatment Near Me

If you or a loved one is struggling with acute stress disorder and seeking effective treatment, look no further than Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches. Our dedicated team of mental health professionals is here to provide comprehensive and evidence-based care tailored to your unique needs.

Our Lake Worth rehab offers a safe and supportive environment for individuals to address the challenges of ASD. With our specialized anxiety treatment and compassionate staff, you can regain control of your life.