Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders
Acute Stress Disorder
Acute stress disorder arises with intense anxiety that lasts up to one month after exposure to a traumatic event. Examples include natural disasters, accidents, or witnessing death.
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Symptoms include feeling detached from reality, being unable to recall key aspects of the event, and vivid flashbacks. There may also be reduced emotional responsiveness, distressing memories, and difficulty feeling positive emotions.
Adjustment Disorders
Adjustment disorders can develop in response to sudden life changes such as divorce, job loss, relocation, or the end of a relationship.
This psychological condition can affect both children and adults and is marked by symptoms including anxiety, irritability, sadness, worry, anger, hopelessness, and feelings of loneliness or isolation.
These symptoms typically arise within three months of the stressful event and can disrupt daily life until the person adjusts to the new situation.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD can develop after someone has faced actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Symptoms include reliving or re-experiencing the traumatic event, avoiding reminders of it, feeling constantly on edge, and having negative thoughts. These symptoms can significantly disrupt daily life and may persist long after the traumatic experience has ended.
Possible symptoms:
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Nightmares
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flashbacks where they feel like they're reliving their traumatic event
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outbursts of anger
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trouble concentrating
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easily startled
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difficulty remembering parts of the traumatic event
Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)
Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) can develop when children fail to form healthy relationships and attachments with adult caregivers early in their childhood. Symptoms of RAD include withdrawal from adult caregivers and disruptions in social and emotional development due to a history of inadequate care and neglect.
