Acute stress disorder

Clinical features

• Duration ≥3 days & ≤1 month
• Exposure to actual or threatened trauma
• Symptoms from following categories:
  • Avoidance of internal memories or external reminders
  • Intrusion (eg, nightmares, flashbacks)
  • Dissociation (eg, amnesia for event, derealization)
  • Arousal (eg, insomnia, hypervigilance, startle)
  • Negative mood

Management

• Trauma-focused, brief CBT
• Consider medication for insomnia, intense anxiety
• Monitor for PTSD (symptom duration >1 month)

CBT = cognitive-behavioral therapy; PTSD = posttraumatic stress disorder.