Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Long Does Acute Stress Disorder Last Exactly?What Do the Symptoms of Acute Stress Disorder Look Like?Getting an Acute Stress Disorder DiagnosisSo, What Causes Acute Stress Disorder?Is There Treatment for Acute Stress Disorder?How to Cope With Acute Stress Disorder

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How Long Does Acute Stress Disorder Last Exactly?

What Do the Symptoms of Acute Stress Disorder Look Like?

Getting an Acute Stress Disorder Diagnosis

So, What Causes Acute Stress Disorder?

Is There Treatment for Acute Stress Disorder?

How to Cope With Acute Stress Disorder

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Between approximately 14% and 33% of people who experience a severely traumatic event develop acute stress disorder.

At a GlanceAfter experiencing a traumatic event, many symptoms can follow. Experiencing negative symptoms after a painful event is known as acute stress disorder. If these symptoms last for longer than one month, it can be classified as PTSD. Medication and psychotherapy can help.

At a Glance

After experiencing a traumatic event, many symptoms can follow. Experiencing negative symptoms after a painful event is known as acute stress disorder. If these symptoms last for longer than one month, it can be classified as PTSD. Medication and psychotherapy can help.

This condition typically lasts for about a month; however, if its symptoms linger for longer than a month, it’s classified aspost-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). This means that in some instances, acute stress disorder could be viewed as a precursor to PTSD. By some estimates, around half of the people diagnosed with acute stress disorder are likely to develop PTSD.

Delayed-Onset PTSD Symptoms

Symptoms of acute stress disorder tend to fall under these categories:

Intrusion Symptoms

These are symptoms that invade your mind with no warning and can prevent you from functioning.

They include:

Avoidance Symptoms

Symptoms of avoidance typically include:

Dissociative Symptoms

Some examples include:

Arousal Symptoms

Arousal symptoms are more physical symptoms than those in other categories. They are also more likely to interfere with your daily functioning.

Some include:

TheDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-5-TR) provides that you must have exhibited at least nine of the above symptoms after being exposed to a traumatic event for you to be diagnosed with acute stress disorder.

Specific Symptoms Must Be Met Before You Can Receive an Acute Stress Disorder Diagnosis

Before you can be diagnosed with acute stress disorder your doctor or healthcare provider must first rule out any physical injury or drug/substance use as a causing factor.

The Criteria for an Acute Stress Disorder DiagnosisAccording to the DSM-5-TR, the following criteria must be met before someone is diagnosed with acute stress disorder:Being exposed to or witnessing a traumatic eventExperiencing flashbacks of the traumatic events, dissociative, anxiety, arousal, and avoidance symptoms (at least 9 of the 14 symptoms in these categories are required to be present)Having experienced symptoms of acute stress disorder for a period lasting between three days and one monthSymptoms should be severe enough to cause functional impairment and interfere with your usual way of lifeThe symptoms are not a result of another medical condition or substance/drug/medication

The Criteria for an Acute Stress Disorder Diagnosis

According to the DSM-5-TR, the following criteria must be met before someone is diagnosed with acute stress disorder:Being exposed to or witnessing a traumatic eventExperiencing flashbacks of the traumatic events, dissociative, anxiety, arousal, and avoidance symptoms (at least 9 of the 14 symptoms in these categories are required to be present)Having experienced symptoms of acute stress disorder for a period lasting between three days and one monthSymptoms should be severe enough to cause functional impairment and interfere with your usual way of lifeThe symptoms are not a result of another medical condition or substance/drug/medication

According to the DSM-5-TR, the following criteria must be met before someone is diagnosed with acute stress disorder:

Acute Stress Disorder Can Also Affect Your Body

Although acute stress disorder is a mental condition, it can also manifest physically. The disorder has been linked to the development oftachycardia, which simply means that your heart rate is abnormally fast. You could also present an abnormal MRI (brain imaging scan) in certain scenarios.

A physical examination and a look into your medical history will be conducted before a diagnosis of acute stress disorder can be made.

If symptoms of acute stress disorder are present for more than a month, then it’s classified as PTSD.

Research estimates that nearly one-sixth of people who survive car accidents are likely to develop acute stress disorder.Certain risk factors also make it more likely for certain people to develop acute stress disorder.

Some of the risk factors include:

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Treatment for acute stress disorder typically involves the use of medication and psychotherapy. These two forms of treatment might either be used alternatively or together, depending on the severity of your symptoms.

Psychotherapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)is one of the most common forms of psychotherapy used for people with acute stress disorder. It’s typically used when the person is no longer exposed to the traumatic event and is experiencing some stability in their life.

With CBT, you are taught to deal with the effects of the traumatic event and how to avoid your triggers. Additional types of effective psychotherapy includecognitive processing therapy (CPT)andprolonged exposure (PE).

Some research shows that CBT is the most effective therapy in the treatment of acute stress disorder and preventing PTSD.

Medication

The use of medication isn’t typically the first line of treatment considered when treating acute stress disorder. However, in some severe cases, it might be used alongside psychotherapy.

Medications commonly prescribed to treat symptoms of acute stress disorder includeselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRIs),benzodiazepines, hydrocortisone, and propranolol.

Acute stress disorder is a rather distressing condition that can disrupt your daily functioning. In some instances, if left untreated, it can develop into PTSD.

Getting an early diagnosis and seeking treatment is crucial!

Here are other tips to help you cope with this condition:

Acute stress disorder is a short-term condition. This means that with the proper treatment, you may begin to feel some relief from your symptoms. Some people can even recover on their own. However, it’s advisable toseek treatmentfrom a mental health professional once you notice any symptoms of the condition to make sure your symptoms don’t worsen.

What This Means For YouMany of us have been exposed to some form of trauma and the resulting mental health impact can be tough to deal with. Please reach out to amental health professionalif you’re experiencing painful symptoms related to a traumatic event.

What This Means For You

Many of us have been exposed to some form of trauma and the resulting mental health impact can be tough to deal with. Please reach out to amental health professionalif you’re experiencing painful symptoms related to a traumatic event.

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8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kavan MG, Elsasser GN, Barone EJ.The physician’s role in managing acute stress disorder.AFP. 2012;86(7):643-649.American Psychiatry Association.What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?. August 2020Fanai M, Khan MA.Acute stress disorder. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021.Fanai M, Khan MA.Acute stress disorder. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021.Dai W, Liu A, Kaminga AC, et al.Prevalence of acute stress disorder among road traffic accident survivors: a meta-analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2018;18(1):188.UpToDate.Acute stress disorder in adults: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, course, and diagnosis. April 12, 2019Kavan MG, Elsasser GN, Barone EJ.The physician’s role in managing acute stress disorder.AFP. 2012;86(7):643-649.UpToDate.Treatment of acute stress disorder in adults. December 14, 2018

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kavan MG, Elsasser GN, Barone EJ.The physician’s role in managing acute stress disorder.AFP. 2012;86(7):643-649.American Psychiatry Association.What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?. August 2020Fanai M, Khan MA.Acute stress disorder. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021.Fanai M, Khan MA.Acute stress disorder. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021.Dai W, Liu A, Kaminga AC, et al.Prevalence of acute stress disorder among road traffic accident survivors: a meta-analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2018;18(1):188.UpToDate.Acute stress disorder in adults: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, course, and diagnosis. April 12, 2019Kavan MG, Elsasser GN, Barone EJ.The physician’s role in managing acute stress disorder.AFP. 2012;86(7):643-649.UpToDate.Treatment of acute stress disorder in adults. December 14, 2018

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Kavan MG, Elsasser GN, Barone EJ.The physician’s role in managing acute stress disorder.AFP. 2012;86(7):643-649.American Psychiatry Association.What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?. August 2020Fanai M, Khan MA.Acute stress disorder. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021.Fanai M, Khan MA.Acute stress disorder. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021.Dai W, Liu A, Kaminga AC, et al.Prevalence of acute stress disorder among road traffic accident survivors: a meta-analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2018;18(1):188.UpToDate.Acute stress disorder in adults: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, course, and diagnosis. April 12, 2019Kavan MG, Elsasser GN, Barone EJ.The physician’s role in managing acute stress disorder.AFP. 2012;86(7):643-649.UpToDate.Treatment of acute stress disorder in adults. December 14, 2018

Kavan MG, Elsasser GN, Barone EJ.The physician’s role in managing acute stress disorder.AFP. 2012;86(7):643-649.

American Psychiatry Association.What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?. August 2020

Fanai M, Khan MA.Acute stress disorder. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2021.

Dai W, Liu A, Kaminga AC, et al.Prevalence of acute stress disorder among road traffic accident survivors: a meta-analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2018;18(1):188.

UpToDate.Acute stress disorder in adults: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, course, and diagnosis. April 12, 2019

UpToDate.Treatment of acute stress disorder in adults. December 14, 2018

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