Acute stress reaction is a mental disorder that develops due to a significant load. A feature of this pathological condition is the fact that it develops in people who do not have mental illness. Acute reaction to stress in the ICD-10 classifier has the code F43.0.
Reasons for appearance
This problem arises after a significant traumatic experience. Often an acute reaction to stress appears in those who have become a participant in or witness to traumatic situations:
- rape;
- natural disasters;
- murders.
During severe stress, there is a fixation on defense mechanisms: extreme identification and repression. As a result, a person falls into a new state of consciousness, which is accompanied by violations of behavior and perception of reality.
Predisposingfactors
Some features of the psyche contribute to the emergence of an acute reaction to stress. The predisposing factors of such a pathology include vulnerability and individual characteristics. As a result of scientific research, it was found that not all people who experience negative emotions and find themselves in adverse conditions develop mental pathology.
Factors that increase acute stress responses in emergencies include adolescence, physical exhaustion.
Main symptoms
After an emergency, psychological disturbances are rapidly increasing. An acute reaction to stress may persist for 2-3 days. Symptoms include feeling "dazed", disoriented in reality.
A person is not able to adequately respond to stimuli, does not perceive the words addressed to him. People who have experienced severe stress try to "leave" the surrounding reality. Such behavior leads to increased activity, the desire to escape from the scene of the disaster (murder). Accompanied by an acute reaction to stress with partial or complete amnesia of the episode, as a result of which psychological trauma was inflicted.
Effects of stress responses
In many cases, victims develop autonomic disorders:
- redness;
- tachycardia;
- fainting;
- fever or chills;
- redness;
- numbness of limbs;
- rapid breathing.
Some people have convulsions due to emergencies, skin rashes on the face and body. The condition is characterized by a decrease in mental and physical performance, emotional instability, sleep disturbances, fatigue.
Diagnostic features
The diagnosis of "acute reaction to stress" is made by the doctor only after the completion of a comprehensive examination of the patient. For many people, emergencies cause headaches that do not disappear for several weeks. To clarify the diagnosis, you need to visit a psychiatrist. The doctor will not only select drugs to normalize the condition, but also choose drugs that reduce the risk of complications.
Diagnostic criteria for acute stress response are determined by neurological testing and physical examination. Based on the results, the psychiatrist selects the optimal methods of therapy for the patient.
Features of drug therapy
Stabilization of the condition of people who have an acute reaction to stress can be achieved by choosing drugs that reduce the excitability of nerve fibers. Strong medications are used only if symptoms persist for a long time.
The treatment regimen, depending on the severity of the problem, involves the use of antidepressants, antipsychotics, tranquilizers. If, against the background of a reaction to stress, a person’s behavior becomes inadequate, dangerous forother people, patients are prescribed Phenazepam. You can take this powerful drug only as directed by your doctor. The doctor chooses the required dosage and duration of treatment.
Also, for acute reactions to stress, the psychiatrist prescribes "Diazepam". This tranquilizer has a calming effect.
Treatment of acute reactions to stress in many cases involves long courses of antidepressants. There are different types of medicines used for this pathological condition:
1. "Amitriptyline" - a drug with a sedative effect. If the body tolerates this drug without problems, its dose is gradually increased.
2. "Melipramine" is an antidepressant that reduces increased anxiety. The drug has many contraindications, so its intake should be strictly in the dosages indicated by the attending physician.
Traditional medical treatment is complemented by psychotherapy. This recovery option is considered the most effective. It helps to change the attitude of the patient to the tragic event that occurred in his life. Psychotherapy increases the patient's ability to control and regulate their negative thoughts. The algorithm for helping with acute reactions to stress is determined by the attending physician. Long-term work with a professional psychotherapist enables the patient to develop new tactics of behavior in case of stressful situations.
Rehab
To stabilizemental state, it is desirable that the patient could change the situation. An excellent solution would be a spa treatment. Self-help in acute reactions to stress in the form of relaxation should be supported by physiotherapy. Only an integrated approach contributes to the stabilization of the state.
There are several rehabilitation centers in our country where people who have experienced severe stress can restore their physical and mental he alth. With the coordinated work of a psychotherapist, psychologist and cardiologist, the patient receives optimal therapy and returns to normal life.
Folk remedies
With a short period of crisis or inability to consult a psychotherapist, you can use some medicinal herbs. Baths with herbal decoctions contribute to the normalization of sleep. Lavender gives excellent results. The procedure will require 50 g of plant flowers. They are poured with a liter of boiling water, insist 10 minutes. The finished product is filtered, poured into a hot bath. Thanks to the pleasant aroma of lavender, the body relaxes, sleep normalizes.
A bath with essential oils has a similar effect. Procedures are best done before bedtime, based on essential oils of mint, chamomile, jasmine. 5-10 drops of selected natural oil are added to the prepared warm bath.
You can also make a “sleeping pillow” with your own hands. A rag bag is filled with hop cones or a collection of herbs: St. John's wort, valerian, chamomile, mint, lavender, shamrock.
Eliminateacute manifestations of the stress reaction can be done with the help of a special soothing tea. It is prepared from the collection of medicinal herbs: thyme, sweet clover, valerian, oregano, motherwort. Equal amounts of these natural components are mixed, poured with a glass of boiling water, left to infuse for 15-20 minutes. You need to take the finished broth 3 times a day for 1/3 cup.
The infusion of birch leaves also contributes to the stabilization of the mental state. You can prepare the remedy from 100 grams of young leaves, pouring them with 2 cups of boiling water. The pot with the broth is carefully wrapped with a blanket, the mixture is infused for 5-6 hours. After straining, it is ready for use. It is recommended to take a decoction of birch leaves 30 minutes before meals (½ cup) 3 times a day.
All folk remedies are additional methods of therapy for mental disorders. It is advisable to consult with your doctor before starting self-medication.
Important points
What are acute stress reactions characterized by? The definition, symptoms, types of this problem are well known in psychiatry. Patients who have experienced stress show the following reactions:
- hallucinations;
- nervous trembling;
- aggression;
- fear;
- sluggishness.
In an emergency, the balance in the body is disturbed, the mental and physical condition worsens. Delusion manifests itself in false ideas or conclusions, to convincein the fallacy of the conclusions of a sick person is impossible.
Due to hallucinations, the patient perceives objects that do not actually affect him (hears voices, smells).
Without the slightest reason, a person begins to cry, tremble lips, depression occurs. Speech becomes unnatural, fast, saturated. Nervous trembling in stressful situations can persist for up to several hours.
How to work with a victim
The implementation of psychotherapy is carried out in two ways:
- Acute panic reactions are being prevented for the he althy population;
- for people with obvious neuropsychiatric disorders, a course is being conducted with the use of medications.
PPP (psychological first aid) is an element of medical care for people injured in road accidents who witnessed brutal murders. A set of measures of psychological impact on the patient and the coordinated work of different specialists is a guarantee of reducing the feeling of anxiety, mental and physical suffering in the injured person.
PPP involves a set of specific actions:
- Transportation or escort of injured persons to a specialized hospital.
- Monitoring the patient during transport.
- Using a standard set of psychopharmacological agents to help calm the affected person.
Of the tranquilizers that are administered intramuscularly, bezodiazepine is recommended - "rRelanium"dosage 2.0-4.0 ml.
Intravenous administration of the drug is undesirable, since anaphylactic shock is possible. It is not recommended to take the drug "Phenozepam" at the first stage, since its administration is accompanied by a drop in blood pressure.
