Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a mental disorder that occurs one month after the traumatic event. If left untreated, acute stress disorder can turn into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is a long-lasting mental health problem. The good news is that acute stress disorder can be cured, although it requires a lot of effort and intervention from a mental health professional. Patients with acute stress disorder can lead a normal life after getting the right treatment.
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Part 1 of 4: Knowing the Presence of Acute Stress Disorder
Step 1. Start by determining whether you or the person you are trying to help has experienced any major trauma in the past month
A person is diagnosed with acute stress disorder if he or she has experienced an event that triggers severe emotional problems before the symptoms of stress appear. Trauma can occur because of the loss of someone who died, fearing death, or experiencing physical and emotional abuse. You can determine the presence or absence of acute stress disorder after knowing whether you have experienced trauma. A person can be traumatized by the following traumatic events:
- Assault, rape, or seeing a mass shooting.
- Become a victim of crime, such as robbery.
- Traffic accident.
- Minor brain injury.
- Work accident.
- Natural disasters.
Step 2. Know the symptoms of acute stress disorder
Referring to the manual on mental illness "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5)" which is universally applicable, patients are diagnosed with acute stress disorder if they show certain symptoms within 2 days to 4 weeks after experiencing trauma.
Step 3. Observe for symptoms of dissociation
Dissociation makes a person appear withdrawn in everyday life. This behavior is a mechanism used by people with severe trauma when facing problems. Dissociation can be done in various ways. A person will be diagnosed with acute stress disorder if they exhibit three or more of the following symptoms:
- Loss of emotion, withdrawal, inability to respond emotionally.
- Decreased awareness of surroundings.
- Reject the reality of life or feel life is not real.
- Depersonalization (loss of sense of personal identity). This makes a person assume what he feels or experienced never happened. Trauma victims can reassure themselves that they have never experienced a traumatic event.
- Dissociative amnesia. Trauma sufferers will block memories or forget experiences and things related to the traumatic event.
Step 4. Notice whether memories of the traumatic event occur frequently
People with acute stress disorder often re-experience the traumatic experience in a variety of ways. A person who is trying to cope with trauma may be diagnosed with acute stress disorder if he experiences any of the following symptoms:
- Often imagines or thinks about traumatic events that he experienced.
- Dreaming, having nightmares, or experiencing terrors at night because of remembering a traumatic event.
- Recall the events that have been experienced in detail. The memories may appear only for a moment or be very detailed as if the traumatic event was repeating itself.
Step 5. Observe any avoidance tendencies
People with acute stress disorder usually feel depressed when exposed to things that remind them of the traumatic event, so they will avoid situations or places that bring back the memory. The tendency to avoid situations or places that have to do with trauma is one indication of acute stress disorder.
Traumatic memories usually make trauma victims more anxious, restless, or overly alert
Step 6. Observe whether the symptoms described above are interfering with daily activities
Another criterion for diagnosing acute stress disorder is to identify whether a person has difficulty living their daily lives due to experiencing the symptoms mentioned above. Do an evaluation to determine if you are having trouble doing your daily routine.
- Observe if your work is affected. Are you able to perform tasks while concentrating and complete them well or are you unable to concentrate? Do you keep on remembering traumatic experiences at work that make it difficult for you to complete tasks?
- Observe how your social life has been lately. Do you feel anxious when you think about leaving the house? Don't you want to socialize at all? Are you trying to avoid things that trigger traumatic memories that led to you breaking off certain relationships?
Step 7. Seek professional help
A person who meets the criteria for acute stress disorder should be treated professionally. This disorder can be cured, but you must act immediately. Health professionals are able to evaluate and provide appropriate therapy.
- How to start depends on your current condition. If you or the person you want to help is in an emergency, wants to commit murder or suicide, or commits an act of violence, immediately call emergency services 119 or Halo Kemkes (local code) 500567. If the crisis is manageable, you can seek help by seeking psychological therapy.
- If suicidal thoughts arise, immediately call 119 which provides emergency services in several major cities throughout Indonesia.
- If you or the person you want to help isn't in an emergency, make an appointment to see a mental health professional.
Part 2 of 4: Cure Acute Stress Disorder by Following Therapy
Step 1. Follow cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Currently, CBT is considered the most effective for treating acute stress disorder. CBT that is carried out as early as possible can prevent the continuation of acute stress disorder so that it does not turn into post-traumatic stress disorder that causes long-term effects.
- CBT to treat acute stress disorder can change the patient's perspective on the risks associated with trauma. In addition, CBT helps patients cope with trauma by desensitizing stressors that form after the patient experiences trauma.
- The therapist will teach you how to respond to a traumatic experience from a physical, emotional, and psychological perspective so that you are better able to recognize your triggers and your responses. In addition, the therapist will also explain how and why you need desensitization through this therapy.
- The therapist will also train you to do relaxation techniques that will be applied during and after therapy to deal with trauma. You will be asked to tell a story or imagine to verbalize the events that you have experienced again.
- In addition, therapists use CBT to help change the way you view traumatic experiences and deal with guilt if needed. For example, victims of a car accident that killed other passengers suffer from acute stress disorder. As a result, he was always afraid to die if he had to ride a car. The therapist will help the patient change his mindset so he can see the car accident from a different perspective. If the patient is 25 years old, the therapist can say that the patient has been driving for 25 years and is still alive today. Fact support will help the patient recover.
Step 2. Get psychological advice as soon as possible after the trauma
Psychological interview is a mental health intervention that should be done as soon as possible after trauma, preferably before acute stress disorder occurs. Patients will attend intensive therapy sessions to discuss the entire traumatic experience in a professional manner. The therapy should be done as soon as possible in order to give the best results.
Be aware that psychological interview results are considered inconsistent. Several studies have shown that psychological interviews do not provide long-term benefits for trauma victims. However, counselors can provide other therapies if psychological interviews are not effective. Don't give up and try to get psychological help
Step 3. Join a group to control anxiety
In addition to attending private consultation sessions, getting therapy by joining a group is also beneficial for people with acute stress disorder. Group sessions are usually led by a mental health professional who will direct the conversation and ensure each member has a positive experience. Support groups also prevent feelings of loneliness and separation because you will be among people who have experienced the same trauma.
As with psychological interviews, the effectiveness of group therapy for dealing with acute stress disorder is still questionable, although participants felt a sense of community when participating in group sessions
Step 4. Follow exposure therapy
Acute stress disorder usually makes the sufferer feel afraid of the place or situation that gave rise to the traumatic memory. This can cause big problems in daily life because he will stop socializing or not want to go to work to avoid the emergence of traumatic memories. If left untreated, fear can develop into post-traumatic stress disorder.
- By following exposure therapy, the patient will be gradually exposed to stimulants that trigger anxiety. By following exposure therapy, the patient is expected to experience desensitization and gradually he is able to deal with stressors in everyday life without feeling afraid anymore.
- Exposure therapy usually begins with practicing visualization. The therapist will ask the patient to imagine the things that trigger stress in as much detail as possible. Exposure will be increased gradually under the supervision of the therapist until the patient is able to deal with stressors with daily life scenarios.
- For example, the patient had been an eye witness to a shooting incident in the library so that he did not want to enter the library again. The therapist will begin therapy by asking the patient to imagine he is in the library and tell how he feels. After that, the therapist will decorate the room like a library so that the patient feels like he is in the library, but he knows that the situation is safe. Finally, the therapist will accompany the patient to go to the library.
Part 3 of 4: Cure Acute Stress Disorder with Medication
Step 1. Consult your doctor before taking any medication
Just like any other medication that must be prescribed, medication to treat acute stress disorder carries a risk of addiction. Today, many stress drugs are sold illegally on the roadside. Do not take drugs that are not prescribed by a doctor. If the dose is wrong, the drug can worsen the symptoms of stress, even lead to death.
Step 2. Ask your doctor for advice on whether you need to take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) drugs to trigger the hormone serotonin
SSRIs are considered the most appropriate drugs to treat acute stress disorder. SSRIs function to change serotonin levels in the brain, which can improve mood and reduce anxiety. Drugs in the SSRI group are most widely used to treat mental disorders.
Drugs belonging to the SSRI group, for example: sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa), and escitalopram (Lexapro)
Step 3. Ask your doctor for advice before taking tricyclic antidepressants
Amitriptyline and imipramine have been shown to be effective in treating acute stress disorder. Tricyclic antidepressants increase the hormones norepinephrine and serotonin in the brain.
Step 4. Ask your doctor for advice before taking benzodiazepines
Drugs in the benzodiazepine group are usually prescribed as anxiety relievers that greatly help recovery from acute stress disorder. In addition, these drugs function as sleeping pills because they are able to overcome insomnia that often occurs due to acute stress disorders.
Drugs in the benzodiazepine group, for example: clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan)
Part 4 of 4: Relaxation and Positive Thinking
Step 1. Relieve stress by doing relaxation
Relaxation is a very effective way to improve overall mental health by alleviating symptoms of stress and preventing the onset of acute stress disorder. Relaxation also helps to overcome the secondary effects of mental disorders, for example: insomnia, fatigue, and hypertension.
When following therapy to deal with stress, therapists usually teach some relaxation techniques as one aspect of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Step 2. Do deep breathing exercises
One of the most widely used effective ways to relieve stress is to breathe deeply. With the right technique, you can relieve stress and prevent problems from arising in the future.
- Inhale with the help of the abdominal muscles, not the chest muscles so that the intake of oxygen into the body is more and provides a sense of relaxation. As you practice, place your palms on your stomach to ensure that your abdominal muscles rise and fall with the breath. You haven't inhaled deeply enough if your stomach muscles aren't moving.
- You can practice sitting with your back straight or lying down.
- Inhale through your nose and then exhale through your mouth. Inhale as much air as you can and then exhale to empty your lungs.
Step 3. Meditate
Just like deep breathing, meditation helps relieve the body of stress and provides a sense of relaxation. Regular meditation will relieve stress and anxiety thereby improving mental and physical health.
- During meditation, one will experience calm, focus one's mind on a particular sound, and distract one's mind from all the troubles and busyness of daily life.
- Find a quiet place, sit comfortably, clear your mind, and focus on imagining a candle or saying the word “relax” silently. Meditate 15-30 minutes every day.
Step 4. Create a support network for yourself
People who get support from supportive networks tend to be mentally stronger and prevent the recurrence of stress disorders. In addition to getting support from family members and friends, you can find a support group to ask for help and feel together.
- Tell your problem to the people closest to you. Don't hold back your feelings. To build a support network, share how you feel with family members and friends. They can't help if they don't know what you're going through.
- Look for a support group in a nearby location or online. We recommend that you join a group that specifically addresses your problem.
Step 5. Keep a journal
Research has shown that journaling is one way to relieve stress and anxiety. This method helps you express everything you are feeling and therapy programs usually require you to keep a journal. Start journaling for a few minutes each day to improve mental health.
- As you write, try to reflect on what is weighing you down. First, write down why you are stressed and then write down how to respond. What did you feel or think when you started experiencing stress?
- Analyze your interpretation of what happened. Determine if you have a negative mindset. After that, make an objective interpretation so that it is more positive and does not exaggerate the problem.
