Post-Traumatic Stress
"Acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder occur after a distressing or catastrophic event. Common examples include involvement in war, accidents (such as traffic or physical accidents), assault (including physical or sexual assault, mugging or robbery, or family violence), or witnessing a significant event. Mass traumatic events include terrorist attacks, mass shootings, and severe weather events (such as hurricane, tsunami, or forest fire).
"In acute stress disorder, the person gets over the event within a month, whereas in post-traumatic stress disorder, the distress lasts longer. Some who experience acute stress disorder go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. A person is more likely to develop post-traumatic stress if the response to an event involves intense fear, helplessness, or horror.
"A major symptom is re-experiencing the trauma. This can include recurrent dreams, flashbacks, intrusive memories, or unrest in situations that bring back memories of the original trauma.
"There is also avoidance behavior, such as persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the event, as well as emotional numbing, which may continue for months or years, and reduced interest in others and the outside world. Persistent symptoms of increased arousal also can occur, such as constant watchfulness, irritability, jumpiness, being easily startled, outbursts of rage, or insomnia."
-Mental Health First Aid USA, p.42, Copyright 2009
Acute stress should be resolved within one month of the event. If you're experiencing any symptoms of post-traumatic stress more than one month after an event, it is recommended that you get professional assistance.
"In acute stress disorder, the person gets over the event within a month, whereas in post-traumatic stress disorder, the distress lasts longer. Some who experience acute stress disorder go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. A person is more likely to develop post-traumatic stress if the response to an event involves intense fear, helplessness, or horror.
"A major symptom is re-experiencing the trauma. This can include recurrent dreams, flashbacks, intrusive memories, or unrest in situations that bring back memories of the original trauma.
"There is also avoidance behavior, such as persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the event, as well as emotional numbing, which may continue for months or years, and reduced interest in others and the outside world. Persistent symptoms of increased arousal also can occur, such as constant watchfulness, irritability, jumpiness, being easily startled, outbursts of rage, or insomnia."
-Mental Health First Aid USA, p.42, Copyright 2009
Acute stress should be resolved within one month of the event. If you're experiencing any symptoms of post-traumatic stress more than one month after an event, it is recommended that you get professional assistance.
