It is directly caused by intense and prolonged mental stress or psychological trauma. The main clinical manifestations are closely related to the psychological trauma. It is accompanied by corresponding emotional experiences but without personality defects. Eliminating the pathogenic factors and providing appropriate treatment can lead to a cure.

bubble_chart Diagnosis

1. A clear, persistent, and intense history of mental traumatic disease, with acute or subacute onset. Approximately half of the patients develop symptoms within 1–2 days after the mental trauma, while others may take as long as 1–2 months or even several months to manifest.

2. Symptom characteristics:

This disease can be classified into two types: acute reactive psychosis and persistent reactive psychosis. Acute reactive psychosis occurs within 24 hours after sudden and intense mental stimulation, presenting as reactive confusion, reactive excitement, or reactive stupor. Persistent reactive psychosis is mostly caused by prolonged and continuous mental stressors, with a longer course of illness, primarily manifesting as reactive depression or reactive paranoid state.

3. Differential diagnosis:

It should be differentiated from depression, menopausal melancholia, neurotic depression, paranoid schizophrenia, menopausal paranoid state, hysteria, and symptomatic psychosis.

bubble_chart Treatment Measures

The treatment of this disease primarily involves psychotherapy, supplemented by environmental therapy and necessary psychiatric medications. Corresponding comprehensive treatment measures should be taken based on different clinical manifestations. Refer to the section on delayed stress disorder.