Stress Disorders

What are stress-related disorders?

Stress-related disorders are illnesses that arise after a traumatic or highly stressful external event, often ones that put you or people you love at risk of significant harm. A stress disorder can occur when your mind and body are having trouble coping with and processing these challenging experiences.

Also known as stress disorders, stress-related disorders are different from anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive, persistent fear or worry in situations that may not inherently be threatening and may not actually occur, while stress-related disorders deal with our responses to actually stressful or harmful experiences we have had.

Symptoms of stress disorders

Stress disorder symptoms can be behavioral, cognitive, emotional and physical. Because everyone responds to significant stress differently, the signs can vary. And the nature of a given stressor has a strong influence on the type of symptoms you might experience.

Experiencing several of these symptoms for a prolonged period might indicate that you have a stress disorder:

  • Persistent intrusive thoughts about the event
  • Emotional numbness
  • Feeling on constant "high alert” or easily startled
  • Avoiding places, people and activities that are reminders of the event
  • Mood swings
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Muscle tension
  • Insomnia or nightmares

A stress-related disorder can interfere with your daily life, including your ability to work, engage in social relationships and perform everyday activities. If your symptoms are persistent and affect your quality of life, our behavioral health specialists can help you find the best treatment plan for you.

Causes of stress disorders

Stress-related disorders can be caused by a single traumatic event or develop over time through ongoing exposure to stressful situations. These can include:

  • Direct exposure to trauma: Experiencing a life-threatening event firsthand, such as a natural disaster, accident, violent assault or military combat
  • Witnessing trauma: Seeing others threatened or harmed, such as witnessing a serious accident, attack or death
  • Learning about trauma to others: Finding out about a traumatic event that happened to a loved one
  • Repeated or extreme exposure to trauma: This commonly occurs among first responders and emergency personnel whose work involves regular interaction with traumatic events
  • Prolonged stressful situations: Facing continuous challenges without adequate relief or support

Types of stress disorders

There are several types of stress disorders, including:

  • Adjustment disorder: This disorder surfaces within three months of a stressful event, particularly when the demands of life become too much. For example, starting a new, high-pressure job might lead to sleepless nights and obsessive worrying about work performance.
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): PTSD develops following a severe trauma or life-threatening event. This type of disorder is characterized by an intense psychological response that may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as intrusive thoughts related to the trauma.
  • Acute stress disorder (ASD): ASD is a short-term condition that occurs within the first weeks after a traumatic event. It shares similarities to PTSD but typically resolves within a month (although it can progress to PTSD).
  • Burnout: Burnout is a state of physical, mental or emotional exhaustion, often resulting from chronic workplace stress. However, it can also stem from other stressors, like relationships or parenting.
  • Caregiver stress: This disorder is brought on by the ongoing stress of caring for a loved one with a chronic illness, disability or age-related needs.
  • Traumatic grief: Traumatic grief is a response to a sudden or violent loss. It is a complex form of grief that combines PTSD symptoms with the grieving process.

Who is at risk for stress disorders?

Anyone can develop a stress disorder. However, certain risk factors can increase your chance of doing so. These include:

  • Trauma: Experiencing a traumatic event can increase a person’s risk of developing a stress disorder
  • History of mental health conditions: Having other existing mental health disorders can increase the likelihood of developing a stress disorder
  • High-stress jobs: People who work in situations that expose them to majorly stressful situations, such as first responders and military professionals, are at a higher risk for stress-related disorders
  • Ongoing stressful life situations: Experiencing prolonged stress, such as chronic illness or financial struggles, can make you more susceptible to a stress disorder

Stress disorder treatment options

At Main Line Health, our behavioral health specialists will work with you to determine the best stress disorder treatment for you. Your care may include one or more of the following treatments:

  • Psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), to help you process your experience
  • Medication, like antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs, to manage your stress disorder symptoms
  • Lifestyle adjustments, including stress management techniques and regular physical activity
  • Support groups

Diagnosis and testing for stress disorders

In order to diagnose stress-related disorders, your behavioral health specialist will perform an evaluation through tests that may include:

  • Exam: You’ll talk with your doctor about your symptoms, experiences and medical history
  • Psychological assessment: Your doctor will ask questions to assess the impact of stress on your mental health