Acute stress disorder
| Acute stress reaction | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| Specialty | psychiatry |
| ICD-10 | F43.0 |
| ICD-9-CM | 308 |
| MeSH | D040701 |
Acute stress reaction (also called acute stress disorder, psychological shock, mental shock, or simply shock) is a psychological condition arising in response to a terrifying or traumatic event, or witnessing a traumatic event that arises a strong emotional response within the individual. It should not be confused with the unrelated circulatory condition of shock/ hypoperfusion, or the concept of shock value. Acute stress reaction may develop into delayed stress reaction or better known as PTSD if stress isn't correctly managed.
"Acute stress response" was first described by Walter Cannon in the 1920s as a theory that animals react to threats with a general discharge of the sympathetic nervous system. The response was later recognized as the first stage of a general adaptation syndrome that regulates stress responses among vertebrates and other organisms.
Stress is characterized by specific physiological responses to aversive or noxious stimuli.
Hans Selye was the first to coin the term “general adaptation syndrome”, to suggest that stress induced physiological responses proceed through the stages of alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.
The sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system gives rise to a specific set of physiological responses in response to physical or psychological stress. The body’s response to stress is also termed “fight-or-flight response”, and it is characterized by an increase in blood flow to skeletal muscles, the heart and brain, a rise in heart rate and blood pressure, as well as dilation of pupils, and an increase in the amount of glucose released by the liver.
Common symptoms that sufferers of acute stress reaction experience are: numbing; emotional detachment; muteness; derealization; depersonalization; psychogenic amnesia; continued re-experiencing of the event via thoughts, dreams, and flashbacks; and avoidance of any stimulation that reminds them of the event. During this time, they must have symptoms of anxiety, and significant impairment in at least one essential area of functioning. Symptoms last for a minimum of 2 days, and a maximum of 4 weeks, after which point continued symptoms may result in a diagnosis of PTSD.
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