Georgetown, DE – SUN Behavioral Health Delaware, a local mental health rehab facility, recently published a blog post that sheds like on acute stress disorder (ASD) and the immediate impact it has following a recent traumatic event. ASD is similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in that it is a mental health condition that occurs after a traumatic event. The main difference between the two is that ASD is typically short-term and develops more quickly. ASD occurs within the first 3 days after a traumatic event happens, and the symptoms typically only last a month.
“One possible theory for why someone might develop ASD or PTSD is a concept known as ‘fear conditioning.’ This occurs when the body has a fear response around a particular stimulus during the traumatic event. An example would be getting into a car accident and being exposed to a strong smell of food. Afterward, when you encounter that smell, it might create a fear response despite no real danger being present. This can make the potential for the development of a condition like ASD more likely,” the blog post states.
There are 14 possible symptoms for someone with ASD to experience. Medical professionals require someone to have at least 9 of them for a diagnosis. These symptoms include recurring nightmares, intense psychological or physical distress regarding the event, being unable to feel positive emotions, memory loss, avoiding people, places, or things, feelings of irritability or anger, being unable to concentrate, being easily startled, being excessively attentive to the possibility of danger, being unable to stay or fall asleep, avoiding specific memories, feeling as if in an altered sense of reality, flashbacks to the event, and recurring, uncontrollable, and distressing memories of the event.
Even though ASD is temporary and doesn’t typically last longer than a month, people don’t have to try and wait it out. Studies have shown that people who try to wait out ASD develop more long-term conditions like PTSD 1.3% to 11.2% of the time. Attending treatment can also make symptoms easier to manage. Other reasons someone might want to seek help for ASD include an inability to function or complete necessary tasks or responsibilities, symptoms have lasted longer than a month or are not improving, there are thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or new symptoms have developed. Doctors will typically perform a psychosocial assessment, consider current symptoms, recent events, and medical and mental health history when coming to a diagnosis for this condition.
There are some things a person can do to manage the symptoms of ASD. These include maintaining good physical health. This means keeping up with an exercise routine, getting several hours of quality sleep, and eating nutritious meals. Also, it is important not to pull away from a support system, even if one’s symptoms make it feel necessary. Being around trusted friends and family allows many people with this condition to begin to feel safe and supported. Practicing mindfulness is another way to decrease the intensity of symptoms. These include techniques like a body scan, where each body part is acknowledged as well as the associated sensations and thoughts.
“Ultimately, the best way to reduce symptoms associated with ASD is to seek mental health treatment. The most common way ASD is treated is through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps people recognize harmful thoughts and emotions and helps them process and change them into healthier ones. Several skills are taught during this treatment, and with practice, many people find their symptoms are significantly reduced, allowing them to live less fearfully,” the blog post continues.
SUN Behavioral Health Delaware solves unmet needs for adolescents and adults in the Georgetown area. They offer no-cost care assessments that allow them to work with potential patients and their doctors to design a treatment plan that will best allow them to find healing from conditions like acute stress disorder. For individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis, their crisis care center is open 24/7. This means they are open when many other places might be closed, including on holidays, nights, and weekends.
To learn more, contact SUN Behavioral Health Delaware today at 302-604-5600 or visit their website.
SUN solves unmet needs.
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For more information about SUN Behavioral Delaware, contact the company here:
SUN Behavioral Delaware
Esther Curtis
302-604-5600
info@sunbehavioral.com
21655 Biden Ave
Georgetown, DE 19947
