The Management of Acute Stress Disorder

What is Acute Stress Disorder?

Acute Stress Disorder is a variant of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that carries on for at least 2 days, but lasts a maximum of 4 weeks, and takes place within 4 weeks of the original stressor. Acute stress disorder is the mind and body's perceived and real response to feelings of extreme helplessness. It occurs within one month after a person experiences or sees an event concerning a threat or a death, serious injury, or physical infringement to a person or others, and reacted to this event with robust feelings of fear, helplessness or horror.

Symptoms

During the acute stress disorder event or soon after, individuals come into contact with some of the following symptoms: irritability, physical restlessness, sleep problems, inability to concentrate, being easily startled, numbing, detachment, derealization, and depersonalization or dissociate amnesia. They carry on to re-experiencing the event through thoughts, dreams, or flashbacks, and trying to avoid stimuli that remind them of the stressor. During this time, they usually have symptoms of anxiety, and major impairment in no less than one crucial area of functioning.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of acute stress disorder is derived from a mixture of the patient's history and a physical examination to rule out diseases that can cause anxiety.

Treatment

Treatment for acute stress disorder typically consists of a combination of antidepressant medications and temporary psychotherapy. Patients who do not get treatment for acute stress disorder are at greater than before risk for substance abuse or main depressive disorders. Moreover, certain symptoms of acute stress disorder are caused by biochemical changes in the central nervous system, muscles, and digestive tract that are not subject to conscious management.

Prevention

Traumatic events cannot by and large be predicted and, therefore, cannot be prevented. Nevertheless, theoretically, professional involvement just after a main trauma might diminish the probability or gravity of acute stress disorder. Moreover, some symptoms of acute stress disorder result from biochemical alterations in the central nervous system, muscles, and digestive area that are not dependent on conscious control.

The prospects for recovery of acute stress disorder are influenced by the seriousness and duration of the trauma, the patient's closeness to it, and the patient's preceding level of functioning. Positive signs comprise a short time period between the trauma and start of symptoms, instant treatment, and appropriate social assistance. If the patient's symptoms are acute enough to get in the way with everyday life and have lasted more than one month, the diagnosis might be changed to post trauma stress disorder. If the symptoms have lasted longer than one month but are not severe enough to meet the definition of post trauma stress disorder, the diagnosis may be altered to adjustment disorder.

Summarizing, acute stress disorder is a severe disease that has to be managed by competent professionals in order to get it under control. The suggestion is to consult your physician for advice.

Stress Balls can Reduce Muscle Tension and Reduce Stress

Stress balls or stress relievers are flexible toys, generally not more than 4 inches in diameter. They are squeezable in the hand and maneuvered by the fingers, apparently to either help alleviate stress and muscle tension or to work out the muscles of the hand. They fit in the palm of your hand and can be easily squeezed to reduce muscular and emotional tension. It might be in the shape of a ball, or it might be something a bit more interesting, such as a funny face, a body part, or a pack of cigarettes (for those making an effort trying to quit!)

Regardless of the name, numerous stress balls are not sphere-shaped. Countless stress balls are shaped in funny molds with screen or spot printed with business logos. They are usually given to employees and clients as gifts and marketing pieces. Stress balls are useful in the office where recurring stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome are common. They are basically known as stress relievers, and are a fashionable corporate promotional product.

How Does a Stress Ball Work?

Every time you make a fist, regardless of whether or not you have an object in your hand, you create muscle tension. And as soon as you release your grip, your muscles relax. This process of acute muscle tension and relaxation can reduce muscle tension and reduce stress. You can carry out this stress management technique without using stress balls, by basically tensing and relaxing the muscles or your hands, or anywhere on the body that tension exists. But a stress ball gives you something to focus on and might aid in alleviating stress. Fortunately, stress balls are easy to find nowadays and they can be very efficient for some quick relief.

What Other Benefits Do Stress Balls Have?

Stress balls have been used for a long time for a wide range of therapeutic reasons. They were already used in ancient civilizations to ease stress, perk up coordination, thwart arthritis and rheumatism, encourage blood circulation, aid during physical therapy and assist with meditation. Stress balls might also help in the prevention or treatment of carpal-tunnel syndrome.

Used appropriately, stress balls can have an extremely beneficial effect on your mind and body. Although the only exercise you are getting from them is in your hands, it is at least something. And those folks who have to type all the time could also get a nice interruption from pecking at a keyboard and, by working out their hands in a different way, will be able to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome. So check out what is out there, check out what you like, and let some stress balls take away those irrelevant worries for you.

Types of Stress Balls

There are numerous kinds of stress balls. Several are a closed-cell polyurethane foam rubber. This kind of stress ball is made by injecting the liquid elements of the foam into a mold. The resultant chemical reaction generates carbon dioxide bubbles as a byproduct, which in turn produces the foam.

Stress balls, particularly those used in physical therapy can also have gel of different concentration inside a rubber or cloth skin. Another kind uses a thin rubber membrane enclosing a fine powder. The latter variety can be made in the commodity of your own home by filling a balloon with baking soda. Some balls similar to a foot bag are marketed and used as stress balls.

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A Good Remedy for Stress Anxiety

It will take you to far-flung places with white sandy beaches and clear blue skies in the blink of an eye. It will take you back in time to the existence of prehistoric monsters or push you forward to the Big Brother world of tomorrow. It can even fill up your eyes with tears one moment and make you laugh out loud the next and above all, it will relieve your stress anxiety.

Reduce Your Stress Anxiety Read a Book

Reading a first-class novel or story will open a window to the world and give you an idea of things you never dreamed possible. And the side benefit is, reading is one of the best ways to diminish your stress anxiety level and can even assist you solve whatever issue is ailing you.

Reading is the grand getaway and it also works well as a way to unwind. When you curl up with a good book, you put the rest of the human race and all its troubles out of your mind as you are taken to far-away places to learn about different time periods, and to picture yourself to new thoughts and philosophies. You are essentially taking a vacation of the mind -- but one that can be practically cost-free, particularly if you reside next to a library.

Of course, reading is also a big way to reduce stress anxiety by gaining the knowledge you need to solve problems. For instance, let's say you're plump and this is causing you stress anxiety. You find that the more weight you gain the more stressed out and anxious you become which just causes you to eat more. Instead of getting stressed out and anxious, why not read a good book about nutrition that will instruct you how to plan meals better, so they're low-cal and low-fat. This could very well result in plummeting your weight issue and it could even vanish altogether together with the stress anxiety that is bringing you down.

Reading can also be a resource of great expectation, giving you ideas and inspiration that will alleviate your stress anxiety. Biographies and rags-to-riches stories about famous people will educate how they triumphed over their struggles. These stories of triumph might even motivate you to look for ways to face up to the challenges in your life.

Obviously, there are also times when reading can add to your stress anxiety level. For example, if you are studying for a test, or reading about tragedies in your local tabloid, you might find your stress anxiety levels go up so high. That's why it's imperative to choose your reading material circumspectly. If you're feeling some stress anxiety, why not pick up a book that will unwind you. An excellent travel book, or cookbook, or book of poetry are far better options than news magazines full of stories about all the things that are wrong all around us.

Self-help books are also a very efficient way to help trim down stress anxiety. They push you to explore your feelings and they suggest such techniques as listening to relaxing music, learning how to play a musical instrument, or just engaging in deep breathing in order to deal with stressful situations.

One of the best stress anxiety reliever is reading a good novel. It's the best medication there is without the side effects of drugs. When you read a good story, whether it is a historical fiction or a mystery thriller or a comic novel, it just about at all times conveys you far from anxieties and frustrations. It allows the imagination run free and then leaves you feeling invigorated and rejuvenated. When you are reading it forces you to focus, to exercise your mind in a way that inactively watching TV or a movie can never match.