Acute Stress Disorder

Acute stress disorder occurs in reaction to a traumatic event, just as PTSD does, and the symptoms are similar. However, the symptoms occur between three days and one month after the event. People with acute stress disorder may relive the trauma, have flashbacks or nightmares and may feel numb or detached from themselves.  These symptoms cause major distress and problems in their daily lives. About half of people with acute stress disorder go on to have PTSD.

An estimated 13 to 21 percent of survivors of car accidents develop acute stress disorder and between 20 and 50 percent of survivors of assault, rape or mass shootings develop it.

Psychotherapy, including cognitive behavior therapy can help control symptoms and help prevent them from getting worse and developing into PTSD.  Medication, such as SSRI antidepressants can help ease the symptoms.

Adjustment disorder

Adjustment disorder occurs in response to a stressful life event (or events). The emotional or behavioral symptoms a person experiences in response to the stressor are generally more severe or more intense than what would be reasonably expected for the type of event that occurred.

Symptoms can include feeling tense, sad or hopeless; withdrawing from other people; acting defiantly or showing impulsive behavior; or physical manifestations like tremors, palpitations, and headaches. The symptoms cause significant distress or problems functioning in important areas of someone’s life, for example, at work, school or in social interactions. Symptoms of adjustment disorders begin within three months of a stressful event and last no longer than six months after the stressor or its consequences have ended.

The stressor may be a single event (such as a romantic breakup), or there may be more than one event with a cumulative effect. Stressors may be recurring or continuous (such as an ongoing painful illness with increasing disability). Stressors may affect a single individual, an entire family, or a larger group or community (for example, in the case of a natural disaster).

An estimated 5% to 20% of individuals in outpatient mental health treatment have a principal diagnosis of adjustment disorder. A recent study found that more than 15% of adults with cancer had adjustment disorder. It is typically treated with psychotherapy.     

Disinhibited social engagement disorder

Disinhibited social engagement disorder occurs in children who have experienced severe social neglect or deprivation before the age of 2. Similar to reactive attachment disorder, it can occur when children lack the basic emotional needs for comfort, stimulation and affection, or when repeated changes in caregivers (such as frequent foster care changes) prevent them from forming stable attachments.

Disinhibited social engagement disorder involves a child engaging in overly familiar or culturally inappropriate behavior with unfamiliar adults. For example, the child may be willing to go off with an unfamiliar adult with minimal or no hesitation. These behaviors cause problems in the child’s ability to relate to adults and peers. Moving the child to a normal caregiving environment improves the symptoms. However, even after placement in a positive environment, some children continue to have symptoms through adolescence. Developmental delays, especially cognitive and language delays, may co-occur along with the disorder.

The prevalence of disinhibited social engagement disorder is unknown, but it is thought to be rare. Most severely neglected children do not develop the disorder. Treatment involves the child and family working with a therapist to strengthen their relationship.   

Reactive attachment disorder

Reactive attachment disorder occurs in children who have experienced severe social neglect or deprivation during their first years of life. It can occur when children lack the basic emotional needs for comfort, stimulation and affection, or when repeated changes in caregivers (such as frequent foster care changes) prevent them from forming stable attachments.

Children with reactive attachment disorder are emotionally withdrawn from their adult caregivers. They rarely turn to caregivers for comfort, support or protection or do not respond to comforting when they are distressed. During routine interactions with caregivers, they show little positive emotion and may show unexplained fear or sadness. The problems appear before age 5. Developmental delays, especially cognitive and language delays, often occur along with the disorder.

Reactive attachment disorder is uncommon, even in severely neglected children. Treatment involves the child and family working with a therapist to strengthen their relationship.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, or rape or who have been threatened with death, sexual violence or serious injury.

PTSD has been known by many names in the past, such as “shell shock” during the years of World War I and “combat fatigue” after World War II, but PTSD does not just happen to combat veterans. PTSD can occur in all people, of any ethnicity, nationality or culture, and at any age. PTSD affects approximately 3.5 percent of U.S. adults every year, and an estimated one in 11 people will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime. Women are twice as likely as men to have PTSD. Three ethnic groups – U.S. Latinos, African Americans, and American Indians – are disproportionately affected and have higher rates of PTSD than non-Latino whites.

People with PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after the traumatic event has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear or anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from other people. People with PTSD may avoid situations or people that remind them of the traumatic event, and they may have strong negative reactions to something as ordinary as a loud noise or an accidental touch.

A diagnosis of PTSD requires exposure to an upsetting traumatic event. However, the exposure could be indirect rather than first hand. For example, PTSD could occur in an individual learning about the violent death of a close family or friend. It can also occur as a result of repeated exposure to horrible details of trauma such as police officers exposed to details of child abuse cases.

• Symptoms and DiagnosisSymptoms and DiagnosisSymptoms of PTSD fall into four categories. Specific symptoms can vary in severity.
  1. Intrusion: Intrusive thoughts such as repeated, involuntary memories; distressing dreams; or flashbacks of the traumatic event. Flashbacks may be so vivid that people feel they are re-living the traumatic experience or seeing it before their eyes.
  2. Avoidance: Avoiding reminders of the traumatic event may include avoiding people, places, activities, objects and situations that may trigger distressing memories. People may try to avoid remembering or thinking about the traumatic event. They may resist talking about what happened or how they feel about it.
  3. Alterations in cognition and mood: Inability to remember important aspects of the traumatic evet, negative thoughts and feelings leading to ongoing and distorted beliefs about oneself or others (e.g., “I am bad,” “No one can be trusted”); distorted thoughts about the cause or consequences of the event leading to wrongly blaming self or other; ongoing fear, horror, anger, guilt or shame; much less interest in activities previously enjoyed; feeling detached or estranged from others; or being unable to exprience positive emotions (a void of happiness or satisfation).
  4. Alterations in arousal and reactivity: Arousal and reactive symptoms may include being irritable and having angry outbursts; behaving recklessly or in a self-destructive way; being overly watchful of one’s surroundings in a suspecting way; being easily startled; or having problems concentrating or sleeping.Many people who are exposed to a traumatic event experience symptoms similar to those described above in the days following the event. For a person to be diagnosed with PTSD, however, symptoms must last for more than a month and must cause significant distress or problems n the ndividual’s daily functioning. Many individuals develop symptoms within three months of the trauma, but symptoms may appear later and often persist for months and sometimes years. PTSD often occurs with other related conditions, such as depression, substance use, memory problems and other physical and mental health problems.(See information on Acute Stress Disorder below.)

May the world be kind to you,
and may your own thoughts be gentle upon yourself.
– Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Our Joy comes from living our own lives simply –
never from demanding that others live simply –
or from ever making any demands whatsoever upon others.
– Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Whatever you do, do with kindness.
Whatever you say, say with kindness.
Wherever you go, radiate kindness.
– Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Anger can feel overwhelming when it suddenly “erupts.” Here are some expert tips to tame your rage, get rid of regret, and prevent ruined relationships.

1 Set Boundaries.

This is a nuanced skill, according to Brock Schludecker, PsyD, of Columbus, Ohio. But it’s important for “protecting one’s time and space and autonomy in a way that doesn’t set oneself up to feel taken advantage of, exploited or used.” Each of which is a feeling that can trigger anger. Schludecker suggests tackling this skill and discussing the specifics with your therapist.

#2 Track Down Your Triggers.

An important step to tamping down on “anger attacks” is to identify the source. When you’re in a place that’s calm and private, take some time to reflect and record. Ask yourself questions like the following: What kinds of interactions consistently leave you angry? Are there “little things” that tend to build up until you feel like you’re about to lose your cool? If so, what are they? Does your anger crop up during certain moods or seasons or parts of your routine? and so on. Write down your answers so you can dig a little deeper.

#3 Get to the Roots of Your Rage.

After you’ve reflected and recorded your answers to the trigger-tracking questions, look for patterns within your responses. Are they associated with certain emotional states, such as feelings of rejection, criticism, or abandonment? Are they connected to, or limited to, certain mood episodes or times of year? Finding the roots of your triggers can help you reduce future regrets.

4 Find a Relaxation Guide.

Look for guided imagery programs on Spotify or YouTube that will help lower your heart rate and regulate breathing when feeling in a heightened state. “There are scripts you can follow that will say, ‘Tense this muscle first,’ or they’ll walk you through visualizing a forest or beach scene,’” says music therapist Meegan Hussain. “They help change that narrative in the mind from rumination and agitation—that negative space—into something positive.”

#5 Schedule Ways to De-Stress.

“Few of us have to do everything we think we have to do,” notes psychiatrist Ben Christenson, MD. He advises placing a higher priority on restorative activities like reading a book, going for a walk or watching a movie while balancing non-negotiable responsibilities.

#6 Put Your Feet Down.

Shaley Hoogendoorn, who co-hosts a vlog/podcast called “This is Bipolar,” tries to release her rage in a healthy way by taking off her shoes and socks—preferably outside—and focusing on the ground beneath her. “Sometimes I close my eyes and tell myself, ‘You’re safe. You’re grounded. There’s an emotion behind this, and it’s not going to last forever.’”

Be Proactive, Not Reactive.

After you’ve gotten to the roots of your anger response and found a way to de-stress, it’s important to become proactive rather than reactive, says Michael Pipich, LMFT, a psychotherapist in Denver and author of Owning Bipolar: How Patients and Families Can Take Control of Bipolar Disorder. He also suggests asking yourself these questions: What do I want to tell the people I care about so that they don’t trigger me? What would be the right thing for me to hear if they’re worried that I’m going into a manic episode? How can they be supportive of me—and how can I be supportive of them? “And then,” he says, “take the cooler moments, not the heated moments, to talk about these things with loved ones.”

From bipolar support groups forum. Jan support

In response to jan4jam’s post: 
The passage you posted reminded me of something I was reading yesterday by Anthony Robbins-From Get The Edge/[The Power to Destroy-The Power to Create/Day 2 of workbook]:
A belief is nothing more than a feeling of absolute certainty about what something means.

They can be unconscious or conscious,and they often stem from things we’ve heard or seen,felt a lot of emotion about, and then repeated again and again until we felt certainAnthony Robbins

• ~

…we can become satisfied with what we believe. Though it is good to be reminded that the things which aren’t creating value for our lives can be dismissed …by discovery of a “new” “better” moment/idea which we (consciously…and unconsciously) have the power to create…and with desire unconsciously/consciously begin to implement(: Thank you

A thought can be changed No matter what the problem is your experiences are outer effects of your inner thoughts. Even self-hatred is only a thought you have about yourself. This thought produces a feeling, and you buy into that feeling. However, if you don’t have that thought you won’t have that feeling. Thoughts ca be changed. Change the thought, and the feeling most go.

The past has no power over us. It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been in a negative pattern. We can be free in this moment.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, we do choose our thoughts. We may habitually think the same thought over and over so that it doesn’t seem as is we are choosing the thought. But we did make the original choice.

We can choose to think certain thoughts. How often have you refused to think a positive thought about yourself. You can also refuse to think a negative thought about yourself….

JmaC

Jan @ http://www.bipolarsupportgroups.com

Stress Management

While it may seem like there’s nothing you can do about stress at work and home, there are steps you can take to relieve the pressure and regain control.

The importance of managing stress

If you’re living with high levels of stress, you’re putting your entire well-being at risk. Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your physical health. It narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life. It may seem like there’s nothing you can do about stress. The bills won’t stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day, and your work and family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have a lot more control than you might think.

What’s your hope for 2021?

Last year was rough. But we’re hopeful for the year ahead. And since hope is contagious, please share your hope for 2021.

Share your hope

Effective stress management helps you break the hold stress has on your life, so you can be happier, healthier, and more productive. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun—and the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on. But stress management is not one-size-fits-all. That’s why it’s important to experiment and find out what works best for you. The following stress management tips can help you do that.

Tip 1: Identify the sources of stress in your life

Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. While it’s easy to identify major stressors such as changing jobs, moving, or going through a divorce, pinpointing the sources of chronic stress can be more complicated. It’s all too easy to overlook how your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors contribute to your everyday stress levels.

Sure, you may know that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines, but maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that is causing the stress.

To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses:

• Do you explain away stress as temporary (“I just have a million things going on right now”) even though you can’t remember the last time you took a breather?
• Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life (“Things are always crazy around here”) or as a part of your personality (“I have a lot of nervous energy, that’s all”)?
• Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal and unexceptional?

Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.

Start a stress journal

A stress journal can help you identify the regular stressors in your life and the way you deal with them. Each time you feel stressed, keep track of it in your journal or use a stress tracker on your phone. Keeping a daily log will enable you to see patterns and common themes. Write down:

• What caused your stress (make a guess if you’re unsure).
• How you felt, both physically and emotionally.
• How you acted in response.
• What you did to make yourself feel better.

Tip 2: Practice the 4 A’s of stress management

While stress is an automatic response from your nervous system, some stressors arise at predictable times: your commute to work, a meeting with your boss, or family gatherings, for example. When handling such predictable stressors, you can either change the situation or change your reaction. When deciding which option to choose in any given scenario, it’s helpful to think of the four A’s: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.

fro: http://www.bipolarsupportgroups.com

I am a Passionate Observer of Life.
I See the events, feel the emotions,
and recognize the difference.
– Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Today I choose the higher road –
the path of charity, acceptance,
love, selflessness, kindness.
– Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Simply do your best, and you will avoid
self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
– don Miguel Ruiz