Fortunately, acute stress symptoms are recognized by most people. It's the laundry list of what is going wrong in their lives right now: the auto accident that crumpled the car fender, the loss of an important contract, a deadline they're rushing to meet, their child's occasional problems at school, fights with one's spouse, etc. Because it is short-term, acute stress does not have enough time to do the extensive damage associated with long-term stress. The most common symptoms of acute stress are:

1. Emotional distress - some combination of anger or irritability, anxiety, and depression, the three stress emotions.
2. Muscular problems including tension headache, back pain (upper and lower), jaw pain (TMJ, temporo-mandibular joint), the muscular tensions that lead to pulled muscles, and tendon and ligament problems.
3. Stomach, gut, and bowel problems such as heartburn, acid stomach, ulcers, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, and irritable bowel syndromes.
4. Transient over-arousal leads to temporary elevations in blood pressure, rapid heart beat, sweaty palms, heart palpitations, dizziness, migraine headaches, cold hands or feet, shortness of breath and chest pain.

Acute stress can crop up in anyone's life. The symptoms are highly treatable and manageable, in eight to twelve weeks, using self-regulation techniques and resources.  Visit our DEAR Behavioral Health Program page to learn more about how we can help you manage your acute stress.