Acute Stress as it relates to Narcissistic Abuse is a transient or fluctuating state of hyper-arousal caused by activation of the fight or flight system based on social stimuli. Typically, when and if a person suffering from acute levels of stress has issues, there is a correlated clear onset and offset of patterns based on exposure to trauma, Narcissistic Abuse, Cluster B personality types, and or a victim is provoked. PTSD triggers activated can force the sufferer’s body into an acute state of stress.
Many hypertension type chronic illnesses tend to arise in Narcissistic Abuse victims after prolonged or repeated exposure to provoking, baiting, or stimulating contact attempts. As such, acute levels of stress are oftentimes seen in victims of Domestic Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Workplace Bullying.
Acute stress disorders like C-PTSD tend to manifest rapidly with prolonged or intense short-term duration contact with abusive predators, most especially for victims who are in Domestic Violence Relocation settings or who are being targeted pervasively by an Aggravated Stalker.
Even higher levels of acute stress tend to manifest for victims of child abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, those who have been threatened with death or physical brutality themselves (or had their children, pets and/or loved ones threatened to be killed, kidnapped, stolen, or injured).
When and if the state of hyper-arousal becomes persistent or pervasive, it can manifest specifically as Acute Stress Disorder (something similar to C-PTSD) that develops without abuse or trauma exposure needing to be conditioned for the victim or patient suffering from acute stress to have their emotional regulation become disordered.
As Psychology Today notes, “Acute Stress Disorder is characterized by the development of severe anxiety, dissociative, and other symptoms that occur within one month after exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor (e.g., witnessing a death or serious accident).
As a response to the traumatic event, the individual develops dissociative symptoms.” When a patient or abuse victim is exposed to stressors or stress triggers, it becomes incredibly difficult for them to relax. Tension becomes a pervasive state in the body, leading to extreme fatigue, feelings of hopelessness, severe agitation, and chronic hypervigilance at best.
« Back to Glossary Index
