Discovering Episodic Acute Stress: Causes, Symptoms, and Management
Healthful Vitality | 09/20/2021 | By NP Contributor | Episodic Acute Stress
According to the duration and frequency, stress disorders are broadly classified into three categories: Acute stress, Episodic Acute stress, and Chronic stress disorders. As the name suggests, you may be having an Episodic Acute Stress disorder if you are suffering from regularly repeated episodes of rising mental stress levels. Moreover, you will be in constant worry as if something terrible is going to happen. Indeed, stress response is a biological marvel which helps an organism cope with unpleasant situations by suitably equipping ‘to fight or to flight.’ But stress becomes an unfortunate necessity in the context of stress disorders in general and episodic acute stress in particular.
What is episodic acute stress?
Like every individual, you might also have gone through some stressful events in life. This can range from overwhelming responsibilities to severe mental health impacts such as sexual assaults or road traffic accidents. As a result, there may be effects such as feelings of intense sadness, fatigue, weakened awareness, etc. In general, these symptoms are termed mental stress. It is pretty normal if it lasts for up to four days after a stressful life event. According to American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5, Acute Stress Disorder or Chronic Stress Disorder are diagnosed if the symptoms persist for up to one month or more than one month respectively. [1] Meanwhile, in the case of episodic acute stress, there are several regular episodes of acute stress with normal non-stressed states in between. After all, the individual believes that these symptoms are normal stress reactions. This, in turn, prolongs the diagnosis of the disease.
Causes of episodic acute stress
Evidently, triggers of episodic acute stress are somewhat similar to that of acute stress. However, outcomes vary depending on the individual’s genetics, personality and morale. Here, are some likely causes for its occurrence; [2] [3]
- Having acute stress events repeatedly,
- Taking too many responsibilities,
- The burden of deadlines,
- Problems related to relationships,
- Stressful job situations like that of firefighters, military personals, etc.,
- Having ‘A type’ or ‘worrier type’ personalities, (discussed below),
- Having Borderline Personality Disorders (BPD).
Who is likely to get episodic acute stress?
Personality is an important factor for developing this acute stress. [4] It is largely seen in the following two types of personalities, namely; [5] [6]
1. The ‘Type A‘ personalities
These individuals often believe themselves to be capable of doing things much better than their peers. Hence, they take up responsibilities above and beyond their threshold which results in bouts of anxiety. They are often impatient, aggressive and hostile in character.
2. The constant worriers
As the name implies, they are always worried about the possible negative outcome of a subsequent event. For the most part, they cannot stop seeing negativities. For them, the world is a more awful place than it actually is. Therefore, in the case of worriers, it is an anxiety-driven episodic acute stress.
Signs and symptoms of episodic acute stress
Many of the symptoms of this acute stress and acute stress overlap with each other. Meanwhile, it differs from chronic stress because its symptoms stop from time to time. [6] The symptoms manifest in mental, emotional, lifestyle-based and physical domains which are listed below. [8] [9] [10]
Symptoms affecting mental abilities
- Inability to focus,
- Memory loss,
- Negative thoughts,
- Worry without any reason.
Symptoms having emotional effects
- Feeling of unhappiness,
- Emotional burnout,
- Loneliness,
- Resistance to changes,
- Increased arousal symptoms such as irritability, short temper and agitation.
What are the symptoms that cause lifestyle changes
- Altered sleep-wake cycles,
- Procrastination of daily chores,
- Eating disorders; overeating, undereating, consuming unhealthy foods, etc.,
- Blaming others,
- Social isolation,
- Addictions and substance abuse.
Symptoms that affects our body
- Increased heart rate,
- Nausea,
- Indigestion,
- Intermittent fever,
- Chest pain and Heartburn,
- Tension headaches,
- Muscle tension and body pain,
- Loose stools or Constipation,
- Increased chances for incidence of heart diseases, hypertension, raised blood cholesterol levels, etc.
Management of episodic acute stress disorder
The first step towards effective management of episodic acute stress is making the person aware of the disorder. That is, he/she should be properly educated that the symptoms are due to an underlying condition. It can be effectively managed with some expert help and lifestyle changes, viz: [9] [11]
- Symptomatic treatments similar to those followed in general anxiety disorder will provide significant relief.
- Anxiety medications and therapies are to be taken by the prescription of a qualified medical professional.
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps to create behavioural changes instilling a positive attitude. Thereby, it helps the individual more capable of adapting to the episodic stressors.
Additional lifestyles changes for a steady relief from the acute stress
Furthermore, some additional lifestyles changes listed below will help for a steady relief from episodic acute stress;
- Avoid taking too many responsibilities,
- Take regular short breaks,
- Engage in physical activities,
- Have sufficient sleep regularly
- Self-care; don’t do things that harm your mind and body,
- Avoid getting into addictions,
- Practice breathing exercises,
- Practice mind and body relaxing exercises,
- Maintain a healthy balanced diet.
Takeaway
In conclusion, in episodic acute stress, symptoms of acute stress occur at regular intervals. Generally, it arises due to the overburden of commitments. Besides that, there are some genetic and personality traits that add to the odds. Therefore, it can have numerous ill effects on our minds and body. The management of acute stress disorder involves symptomatic treatment and ample lifestyle modifications. Indeed, the key is to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Indeed, important to realize is that the medications and therapies are to be taken by the prescription of a qualified medical professional.
“Give your Stress wings and let them fly away.”
-Terri Gullimets
(Related Articles: Coping Strategies for Stress and Lifestyle Intelligence – Healthy Lifestyle Changes)
References:
1. Vihang N. Vahia. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders 5: A quick glance. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3777342/
2. Manhattan Centre for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, What Is Episodic Acute Stress?, Dr Paul Greene, August 17, 2020.
3. Healthline, Everything You Need to Know About Stress, written by: the Healthline Editorial Team, reviewed by: Timothy J. Legg, PhD, CRNP, 25 Feb 2020.
4. Childs E, White TL, de Wit H. Personality traits modulate emotional and physiological responses to stress. Behav Pharmacol. 2014;25(5-6):493-502. doi:10.1097/FBP.0000000000000064. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4119514/
5. Lifestance Health, Stress Management, Chronic, Acute & Episodic, Available at: https://www.mygbhp.com/condition/stress/#
6. Spacious Therapy, 3 Types of Stress and Health Hazards, January 17 2018. Available at: https://spacioustherapy.com/3-types-stress-health-hazards/
7. Explorable, Three Different Kinds of Stress, Sarah Mae Sincero. Available at: https://explorable.com/three-different-kinds-of-stress
8. Sakura Counseling, Acute Stress Vs Episodic Acute Stress Vs Chronic Stress. Available at: https://sakuracounseling.org/services/acute-stress-vs-episodic-acute-stress-vs-chronic-stress/
9. Choosing Therapy, 3 Types of Stress: Causes, Effects, & How to Cope, author: Davina Tiwari MSW, RSW, and CSFT, review: Kristen Fuller MD, 26 Feb 2021, Available at: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/types-of-stress/
10. Types of Stress, Ch-15 Engineering Sciences and General Subjects YouTube Page, Available at: https://youtu.be/cFOEWwYFTb0.
11. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Stress and Coping, Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/stress-coping/index.html