After a traumatic event, a mental health condition which results is known as acute stress disorder (ASD). On the other hand, post-traumatic stress disorder is also a mental health condition which results in case of a terrifying event (Haag & Robinaugh et al., 2017). This event may either be through experience or seeing. These two mental health disorders are both triggered by traumatic circumstances. However, ASD and PTSD differ in several ways.
Acute stress disorder results immediately following the source of trauma. On the other hand, post-traumatic stress disorder does not result immediately followed by trauma. Instead, PTSD results after the long term effect of the trauma which took place, causing ASD.
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Acute stress disorder may result in the month following a trauma. Symptoms on ASD overlaps the symptoms associated with PTSD. Diagnosis of PTSD can only be given after the symptoms related to it have lasted for at least one month (Rosenberg & Rosenberg et al., 2015). PTSD disorders may even develop many years after which the original events of trauma had taken place. PTSD may or may not follow after ASD has affected a person.
Those with ASD experience feelings of psychological distress immediately. ASD is temporary, and its symptoms are known to persist for a month (Bryant & Creamer et al., 2015). Individuals who have ASD and PTSD experiences the intrusive thoughts which are disturbing to their mind causing them to be stressful. This thoughts on the nightmares, dreams or even mood swings may also make them disconnect from others. They isolate themselves from things associated with their trauma. Both ASD and PTSD may share some of the symptoms. PTSD symptoms may echo those of ASD which may be confusing if not keenly looked into by those medical practitioners looking on the two.
References
Bryant, R. A., Creamer, M., O'Donnell, M., Silove, D., McFarlane, A. C., & Forbes, D. (2015). A comparison of the capacity of DSM-IV and DSM-5 acute stress disorder definitions to predict posttraumatic stress disorder and related disorders. The Journal of clinical psychiatry , 76 (4), 391-397.
Haag, C., Robinaugh, D. J., Ehlers, A., & Kleim, B. (2017). Understanding the emergence of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder through acute stress symptom networks. JAMA Psychiatry , 74 (6), 649-650.
Rosenberg, L., Rosenberg, M., Robert, R., Richardson, L., Sharp, S., Holzer, C. E., & Thomas, C. (2015). Does acute stress disorder predict subsequent posttraumatic stress disorder in pediatric burn survivors?. The Journal of clinical psychiatry , 76 (11), 1564-1568.