After A Trauma - Acute Stress Disorder

Having Acute Stress Disorder can be very frustrating. You have been through something terrible, you don t feel like yourself, and, you want to get back to your normal life. The problem is, your regular coping skills are not working.

A person may develop Acute Stress Disorder if they:

• have experienced actual or threatened death or serious injury
• have witnessed actual or threatened death or serious injury of another person

If you have experienced the stress of a traumatic event, you might experience the symptoms of Acute Stress Disorder. These symptoms include:

• feeling numb, detached
• lack of emotions
• being in a daze, not really aware of the surroundings
• unable to recall important events related to the trauma
• thoughts, dreams, and/or flashbacks of the trauma
• avoiding anything that might remind them of the trauma
• easily startled
• problems with sleeping and eating
• increased attention to safety: constantly checking locks and doors