ACUTE STRESS DISORDER; TREATMENT

Cognitive behavioral therapy is the treatment that has met with the most success in combating ASD. It has two main components: First, it aims to change cognitions, patterns of thought surrounding the traumatic incident. Second, it tries to alter behaviors in anxiety-provoking situations.

Cognitive behavioral therapy not only ameliorates the symptoms of ASD, but also it seems to prevent people from developing post-traumatic stress disorder. The chance that a person diagnosed with acute stress disorder will develop PSTD is about 80 percent; the chance that they will develop PTSD after cognitive-behavioral therapy is only about 20 percent.

Psychological debriefing and anxiety management groups are two other types of therapy that have been examined for the treatment of ASD. Psychological debriefing involves an intense therapeutic invention immediately after the trauma, so that traumatized individuals can "talk it all out." In anxiety management groups, people share coping strategies and learn to combat stress together. However, both types of therapy have proven to be largely ineffectual for the treatment of ASD.

Sources:

• American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition
• Anxiety and Its Disorders: The nature and treatment of anxiety and panic (Guilford Press)
• Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
• American Journal of Psychiatry
• Journal of Anxiety Disorders
• Journal of Traumatic Stress
• Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
• War Psychiatry: Textbook of Military Medicine
• Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• National Institute of Mental Health
• National Center for PTSD
• Department of Health & Human Services

DSM-IV-TR CRITERIA FOR PTSD Part II

Criterion D: hyper-arousal

Persistent symptoms of increasing arousal (not present before the trauma), indicated by at least two of the following:

1. Difficulty falling or staying asleep

2. Irritability or outbursts of anger

3. Difficulty concentrating

4. Hyper-vigilance

5. Exaggerated startle response

Criterion E: duration

Duration of the disturbance (symptoms in B, C, and D) is more than one month.

Criterion F: functional significance

The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

Specify if:

Acute: if duration of symptoms is less than three months

Chronic: if duration of symptoms is three months or more

Specify if:

With or Without delay onset: Onset of symptoms at least six months after the stressor

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders DSM-IV-TR ( Fourth ed.). Washington D.C.: American Psychiatric Association

Acute Stress Disorder & PTSD

For those of us in the EMS, existence may be easy or it may be hard, depending on where we are in life. Life tends to go in phases, easy sometimes and hard other times. Let us take responsibility for our lives and move towards a life we truly desire no matter where we are. We have the power.

If you are having a hard time with moving forward in life you may have Acute Stress Disorder or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. There are many signs and symptoms for both disorders but you may want to ask yourself if you are happy. Or you may ask yourself, "when was the last time I was happy?"

When we have Acute or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder we may be very unhappy. If this sounds like you then you may want to seek professional help. These are very serious disorders and can disrupt our ability to function in life.

We have been talking about moving forward and setting goals. If we are unable to do this, chances are we may have Acute or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I have met many individuals who have overcome these disorders, including myself.

In the next couple of posts I will share the information from the DSM (Diagnostic Statistical Manual) on both disorders.

This is information that is very helpful.

Stay tuned...

If you would like support in learning to destress yourself then follow this blog.

If you have any comments or questions please use the comment function on this blog and I will comment in return:)

Have fun and be playful.

Elizabeth