mental health disorders
Overview of Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders
Introduction
Trauma- and stressor-related disorders result from exposure to a traumatic or stressful event. Specific disorders include Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (PTSD), Trauma- and stressor-related disorders develop in the aftermath of a traumatic event. They share many features, including dysphoria (general unease or dissatisfaction), irritability, dissociation (disconnection of some aspects of mental functioning from one's sense of self without conscious awareness), substance use, or insomnia. They differ in the severity and duration of symptoms. Posttraumatic stress disorderlasts 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. Acute stress disordertypically begins immediately after the traumatic event and lasts from 3 days to 1 month. Adjustment disordersare reactions to stressful events that may be common developmental milestones (for example, becoming a parent), or more disruptive occurrences of variable duration (for example, losing a job, caring for a disabled family member, or suffering a romantic setback) that cause distress out of proportion to the stressful event and lead to difficulties with everyday functioning. Adjustment disorders tend to develop shortly after the stressful event and persist less than 6 months; adjustment disorder symptoms can persist indefinitely, however, if there is persistent stress (such as the ongoing illness of a family member or chronic unemployment). Although Depression and 