Trauma- and stress-related disorders result from exposure to a traumatic or stressful event. Specific disorders include acute stress disorder Acute Stress Disorder Acute stress disorder is an intense, unpleasant, and dysfunctional reaction beginning shortly after an overwhelming traumatic event and lasting less than a month. If symptoms persist longer... read more and posttraumatic stress disorder Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) involves intense, unpleasant, and dysfunctional reactions beginning after an overwhelming traumatic event. Events that threaten death or serious injury can... read more . These disorders cause similar symptoms but differ in how long they last.
Acute stress disorder typically begins immediately after the event and lasts from 3 days to 1 month.
Posttraumatic stress disorder lasts for more than 1 month. It may develop as a continuation of acute stress disorder or develop separately up to 6 months after the event.
Although depression Depression A short discussion of prolonged grief disorder. Depression is a feeling of sadness and/or a decreased interest or pleasure in activities that becomes a disorder when it is intense enough to... read more and anxiety Overview of Anxiety Disorders Anxiety is a feeling of nervousness, worry, or unease that is a normal human experience. It is also present in a wide range of psychiatric disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder,... read more are often prominent, people with trauma-related disorders often have a wide variety of symptoms that may not obviously seem related to the traumatic event. For example, people may act aggressively, be unable to experience pleasure, and/or feel restless, discontented, angry, numb, or disconnected from themselves and others.
More Information
National Institutes of Mental Health, Trauma: General information on the nature of trauma, including healthy ways to cope with it, crisis lines, and educational programs
