Many people who survive or witness a burn injury will have psychological challenges linked to the trauma of the injury and the treatment. These symptoms are a normal reaction to a severe stress. They often get better within hours to several days.
For some people, these symptoms will linger and interfere with recovery and daily life. When this occurs you may have developed a stress disorder. Acute stress disorder (ASD) is when symptoms last longer than three days. If the symptoms go on longer than one month, it is called posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Some symptoms are:
Reliving the event
Staying away from situations that remind you of the event
Negative changes in beliefs and feelings
Feeling keyed up
Many people with stress disorders may also:
Feel guilt, shame, or depression
Have problems with coworkers, friends, and loved ones
Abuse alcohol or drugs
What can I do?
If you feel you have a stress disorder it is important to find your social support and reach out for support. Discuss your concerns with your health care team. Only they can tell you if you have a stress disorder and if treatment is necessary.
Often treatment can help these problems. The coping skills you learn for dealing with the stress disorder can help you successfully recover from your burn injury.
The contents of this website are for information purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not rely on the information provided for medical decision making and should direct all questions regarding medical matters to their physician or other health care provider. Use of this information does not create an express or implied physician-patient relationship.