HOW WE TREAT ASD
Life-changing online care for acute stress disorder
Our providers understand the challenges of ASD, and have real-world experience helping people just like you.
- 75% achieve remission in 12 weeks
- Measurement-based care
- Providers rated 4.9/5 ★
- Seen as soon as today
Condition overview
Understanding acute stress disorder
Acute stress disorder (ASD) can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive memories, avoiding reminders, anxiety, and physical distress. People respond to trauma differently, and some may go on to develop PTSD.
Personalized Psychiatry
When medication is necessary, our psychiatric providers analyze 100+ data points to determine the most tolerable and effective prescription for you.
Clinically-Proven Therapy
Our program combines cognitive and behavioral therapy with independent skill practice - all of which have been clinically proven to work for a wide range of symptoms.
OUR APPROACH
Expert care, tailored to you
Different people experience ASD in different ways. That’s why our providers work 1:1 with you to personalize treatment to your unique needs.
- Difficulty remembering the event
- An inability to experience positive emotions
- Trouble sleeping
- Irritability
- A pounding heart
- Difficulty breathing
Here’s how it works
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“I haven’t felt this great in years. The providers at Brightside ensured that I was on the correct medications to treat my anxiety and depression.”
“Brightside is gold. My provider is caring, engaging and truly wants help. He has helped me get back to normal sleep, which I’m super grateful for.”
“No one has ever made me feel as safe and comfortable as Brightside. Amazing program that makes psychiatry and therapy incredibly easy.”
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What's on your mind?
If your question isn't answered below, view our full list of FAQs here.
A diagnosis of ASD can be made three days to one month after a traumatic event. While ASD is a short-term condition - and many people get better on their own - some people may benefit from timely diagnosis and treatment.
Many of the symptoms of ASD are almost identical to those of PTSD. However, a diagnosis of PTSD will only be considered if the symptoms persist for more than 30 days or first appear more than one month after the trauma has occurred.
Though many people who are diagnosed with ASD do not go on to develop PTSD, it is thought that having ASD may increase a person’s risk of developing PTSD. A prompt diagnosis and treatment of ASD can help people manage the condition and reduce the risk of developing PTSD.
Everyone processes traumatic experiences uniquely, and an event which does not trigger ASD in one person may trigger the condition in another.
With that being said, a variety of factors may increase the risk of someone developing the condition.
These factors include:
- Being female
- A history of trauma
- A history of mental health conditions
- The severity of the traumatic event
- Neurotic personality traits
- Avoidance as a coping mechanism
It is normal to feel afraid or uneasy following a traumatic event. However, if your symptoms have lasted anywhere from three days to one month directly following a traumatic event, you may be experiencing ASD.
Make an appointment with your health care provider to discuss treatment options that may be right for you.
From medication to therapy, there are a variety of treatment options to help with the symptoms of acute stress disorder.
Medication Medication is not typically a first-line treatment for ASD. If recommended by a health care provider at all, benzodiazepines (clonazepam, etc.) will typically be used only in low doses, for the short-term relief of severe anxiety symptoms. Benzodiazepines carry the risk of dependence if used long-term and may also increase the risk of developing PTSD.
Beta-blockers may also be prescribed to help with some of the physical symptoms of ASD, such as a pounding heart, nausea, and difficulty breathing.
Brightside does not prescribe benzodiazepines. See the medications our providers do prescribe here.
Therapy While there are many different types of therapy, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TFCBT) is the top recommended treatment for ASD. If used in a timely manner, TFCBT has been proven to reduce the likelihood of ASD developing into PTSD.
TFCBT helps someone become aware of and adjust unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors related to the trauma. TFCBT is usually started no sooner than two weeks after the traumatic event, and consists of six weekly sessions of 60 to 90 minutes.
Self-Care, Coping, and Support Many treatment plans for ASD involve aspects of self-care. Aspects of self-care can include:
- Maintaining a healthy diet
- Getting enough sleep
- Exercising on a regular basis
- Managing stress & practicing mindfulness
- Engaging in enjoyable/creative activities
- Taking prescribed medications correctly and discussing any potential side effects with your health care providers
- Watching for early signs that your symptoms may be worsening, and having a plan in place for how to respond if they do
- Surrounding yourself with positive and supportive influences
- Talking to trusted family members and friends about how you are feeling
Personal safety is also a major part of the self-care work when healing from a traumatic event. After a single traumatic episode, people are better able to process the experience when they know that they and their loved ones are safe.
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