# Acute Stress Reaction - Category: chronic - Review status: reviewed (every claim checked against a document named on this page) - Sources: Acute Stress Disorder - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560815/ · ICPC-3 (WONCA International Classification of Primary Care, 3rd edition) - condition scope only, no dose · No dose - no medicine is given for this in primary care - Verified date: 2026-08 ## Verified against - No dose - no medicine is given for this in primary care - Acute Stress Reaction - disease-level clinical article (acute-stress-reaction-clinical.txt) ## Treatment metadata - No drug therapy in primary care (Assessment & Advice) ## Complete treatment card ```text ACUTE STRESS REACTION Sources: Acute Stress Disorder - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560815/ · ICPC-3 (WONCA International Classification of Primary Care, 3rd edition) - condition scope only, no dose · No dose - no medicine is given for this in primary care Review status: REVIEWED against No dose - no medicine is given for this in primary care, Acute Stress Reaction - disease-level clinical article (acute-stress- reaction-clinical.txt) (2026-08) IS IT THIS? - reference only, to read alongside your own examination SYMPTOMS - what the patient reports (8) - Recurring, unwanted memories of the traumatic event that intrude automatically - Flashbacks in which the person feels like they are reliving the trauma in the moment - Trouble feeling any positive emotion such as happiness or love - A sense of unreality, watching oneself from outside, or time feeling slowed - Gaps in memory for an important part of the traumatic event, not from a head injury or substance use - Deliberate avoidance of reminders - people, places, or objects - linked to the trauma - Sleep problems and irritable, angry outbursts with little provocation [irritability] - Being constantly on guard, poor concentration, and an exaggerated startle reflex [poor concentration] SIGNS - what you find (2) - Rapid heart rate can accompany the psychological presentation - In children older than six, play may repeatedly act out themes from the traumatic event TESTS (5) - No lab test, biomarker, or imaging study can confirm the diagnosis - A validated adult self-report questionnaire exists for symptom tracking - The Child Stress Disorders Checklist screens children for both acute stress and PTSD symptoms - Structured interviews such as the Acute Stress Disorder Interview can assist in busy clinical settings - PTSD screening tools like the CAPS-5 or PC-PTSD-5 help flag patients needing fuller trauma assessment later IF NOT THIS - what else fits (10) - Ordinary post-trauma distress in the first days does not meet the full symptom count or duration for this diagnosis - PTSD is considered once trauma-related symptoms have lasted beyond one month - Adjustment disorder fits when the stressor does not meet the trauma threshold required here - Panic disorder is favored when attacks recur unexpectedly and are not centered on trauma reminders - Brief psychotic disorder involves delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized speech or behavior, atypical here - Depression or generalized anxiety is favored when the picture is not centered on trauma-linked intrusions and arousal - A pervasive pattern of instability since early adulthood points to borderline personality disorder instead - Head injury signs - worsening headache, vomiting, seizure, focal weakness, or slurred speech - should prompt urgent neurologic assessment instead - Intoxication or withdrawal from alcohol, sedatives, cannabis, or stimulants can mimic the anxiety and perceptual disturbance - Medical causes such as hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, arrhythmia, or a CNS infection can produce a similar picture Source StatPearls "Acute Stress Disorder" - disease-level clinical article Status traced to the source above 1. NO DRUG THERAPY IN PRIMARY CARE (ASSESSMENT & ADVICE) [1st line] Adult A time-limited reaction to a major stressor or life change causing distress and impaired coping; managed with brief supportive counselling and practical advice, reserving medication for exceptional cases such as severe insomnia, since it usually resolves without drugs. - Assessment and advice Peds Children follow the same pathway: assessment, explanation and follow-up. No primary-care medicine is implied. Source No dose - no medicine is given for this in primary care Why A time-limited reaction to a major stressor or life change causing distress and impaired coping; managed with brief supportive counselling and practical advice, reserving medication for exceptional cases such as severe insomnia, since it usually resolves without drugs. Caution RED FLAG - Acute psychosis or severe dissociation following trauma: assess urgently and refer. No medicine is prescribed for this in primary care. The value of the consultation is recognition, explanation and follow-up, and referral if the red flags above appear. RED FLAG - Suicide risk assessment is required at initial evaluation and follow-up when severe stress symptoms, depression, self-harm history, or hopelessness are present. RED FLAG - Suicidal ideation or risk of self-harm: assess urgently and refer. Refer also when symptoms persist beyond a month, suggesting evolution to PTSD or an adjustment disorder. Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy. ``` --- Dawaa Reference is a reference for prescribers, not a medical device, and does not replace clinical judgement. [Privacy policy](/privacy)