Acute Stress Disorder

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a trauma- and stressor-related disorder characterized by the development of severe anxiety, dissociation, and intrusive symptoms within four weeks following exposure to a traumatic event. Etiological factors include direct or indirect exposure to life-threatening events such as accidents, assaults, natural disasters, or combat, with neurobiological alterations in the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex contributing to symptomatology. Clinically, individuals present with intrusive memories, flashbacks, avoidance of trauma reminders, hyperarousal, and dissociative experiences such as depersonalization or derealization. Diagnosis requires a detailed psychiatric evaluation and the presence of symptoms lasting at least three days but less than four weeks, while excluding other psychiatric or medical conditions. Management is primarily psychotherapeutic, emphasizing trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, with pharmacotherapy reserved for severe anxiety or comorbid conditions. Prognosis is generally favorable if early intervention is provided, although some patients may progress to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).