The PTSD(Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) are mental health conditions that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. PTSD vs Acute While they share similarities, there are key differences in their onset, duration, and severity of symptoms. Here's a breakdown:
Similarities:
Triggering event: Both can be triggered by a traumatic event, like a natural disaster, accident, assault, or witnessing violence.
Symptoms: Both can cause symptoms like intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance of reminders, negative thoughts and feelings, hyperarousal, and difficulty sleeping.
Differences:
Onset:
ASD: Symptoms appear within days or weeks after the event and typically last less than a month.
PTSD: Symptoms usually develop within 3 months of the event, but can sometimes appear years later. They must persist for at least a month for a diagnosis.