acute stress disorder acute stress disorder acute stress disorder (asd, also known as acute stress reaction, psychological shock, mental shock, or simply shock) is a psychological response to a terrifying, traumatic or surprising experience. it may bring about delayed stress reactions (better known as post-traumatic stress disorder, or ptsd) if not correctly addressed. acute stress may present in reactions which include but are not limited to: intrusive or dissociative symptoms, and reactivity symptoms such as avoidance or arousal. reactions may be exhibited for days or weeks post the traumatic event. this article is about the psychological condition sometimes called shock. for the circulatory condition, see shock (circulatory). acute stress reactionspecialtypsychiatrycausesexposure to a traumatic event part of a series onemotions affect classification in animals emotional intelligence mood regulation interpersonal dysregulation valence emotions acceptance admiration affection amusement anger angst anguish annoyance anticipation anxiety apathy arousal awe boredom confidence confusion contempt contentment courage curiosity depression desire disappointment disgust distrust doubt ecstasy elevation embarrassment empathy enthusiasm envy euphoria faith fear frustration gratification gratitude greed grief guilt happiness hatred hope horror hostility humiliation interest jealousy joy kindness limerence loneliness love lust nostalgia outrage panic passion pity pleasure pride rage regret rejection relief remorse resentment sadness saudade schadenfreude self-pity shame shock shyness social connection sorrow suffering surprise suspicion trust wonder worry diagnostic criteria according to the dsm-v, acute stress disorder requires the exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation by either directly experiencing it, witnessing it in person, learning it occurred to a close family or friend, or experiencing repeated exposure to aversive details of a traumatic event. in addition to the initial exposure, individuals may also present with a variety of different symptoms that fall within several clusters including intrusion, negative mood, dissociation, avoidance of distressing memories and emotional arousal. intrusion symptoms include recurring and distressing dreams, flashbacks, or memories related to the traumatic event and related somatic symptoms. negative mood refers to ones inability to experience positive emotions such as happiness or satisfaction. dissociative symptoms include a sense of numbing or detachment from emotional reactions, a sense of physical detachment, decreased awareness of one's surroundings, the perception that one's environment is unreal or dreamlike, and the inability to recall critical aspects of the traumatic event (dissociative amnesia). emotional arousal symptoms include sleep disturbances, hypervigilance, difficulties with concentration, more common startle response, and irritability. symptom presentation must last for at least three consecutive days after trauma exposure to be classified as acute stress disorder. if symptoms persist past one month, the diagnosis of ptsd should be assessed for. the presenting symptoms must also cause significant impairment in multiple domains of one's life to be diagnosed. additional diagnoses that may develop from acute stress disorder include depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and substance abuse problems. untreated acute stress disorder can also lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder. diagnostic assessment evaluation of patients is done through close examination of emotional response. using self-report from patients is a large part of diagnosing acute stress disorder, as acute stress is the result of reactions to stressful situations. development and course there are several theoretical perspectives on trauma response, including cognitive, biological, and psycho-biological. while ptsd-specific, these theories are still useful in understanding acute stress disorder, as the two disorders share many symptoms. a recent study found that even a single stressful event may have long-term consequences on cognitive function. this result calls the traditional distinction between the effects of acute and chronic stress into question. risk factors risk factors for developing acute stress disorder include a previously existing mental health diagnosis, avoidant coping mechanisms, and exaggerated appraisals of events. additional factors also include prior trauma history and heightened emotional reactivity. the dsm-v specifies that there is a higher prevalence rate of acute stress disorder among females compared to males due to higher risk of experiencing traumatic events and neurobiological gender differences in stress response. types sympathetic