Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are two anxiety disorders that can occur after a person experiences a traumatic event. Here's a comparison of the two conditions:

Similarities

1. Traumatic event: Both ASD and PTSD are triggered by a traumatic event, such as a natural disaster, car accident, or physical assault.

2. Anxiety symptoms: Both conditions involve anxiety symptoms, including fear, anxiety, and hypervigilance.

3. Avoidance behaviors: Both conditions involve avoidance behaviors, such as avoiding people, places, or activities that remind them of the traumatic event.

Differences

1. Duration: ASD lasts for at least 2 days and up to 1 month after the traumatic event, while PTSD lasts for more than 1 month.

2. Symptom severity: PTSD symptoms are generally more severe and persistent than ASD symptoms.

3. Dissociation: ASD is characterized by dissociative symptoms, such as feeling detached from oneself or the world, while PTSD is not.

4. Re-experiencing symptoms: PTSD involves re-experiencing symptoms, such as flashbacks and nightmares, which are not always present in ASD.

Diagnostic Criteria

Acute Stress Disorder (ASD)

- Exposure to a traumatic event

- Presence of at least 9 of the following symptoms: - Dissociation (e.g., feeling detached from oneself or the world) - Anxiety (e.g., fear, anxiety, hypervigilance) - Avoidance behaviors (e.g., avoiding people, places, or activities that remind them of the traumatic event) - Hyperarousal (e.g., difficulty sleeping, irritability) - Hypervigilance (e.g., exaggerated startle response) - Duration of symptoms: at least 2 days and up to 1 month - Significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

- Exposure to a traumatic event

- Presence of at least 1 of the following re-experiencing symptoms: - Recurrent, intrusive memories of the traumatic event - Recurrent, distressing dreams of the traumatic event - Flashbacks or dissociative episodes

- Presence of at least 1 of the following avoidance symptoms: - Avoiding thoughts or feelings associated with the traumatic event - Avoiding people, places, or activities that remind them of the traumatic event - Presence of at least 2 of the following hyperarousal symptoms:

- Difficulty sleeping - Irritability or anger - Difficulty concentrating - Hypervigilance

- Duration of symptoms: more than 1 month

- Significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning

References

1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

2. Bryant, R. A., & Harvey, A. G. (2000). Acute stress disorder: A handbook of theory, assessment, and treatment. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

3. National Center for PTSD. (2022). PTSD and ASD. Retrieved from