A 45-year-old man presents with symptoms of restlessness, irritability, concentration problems, and muscle tension. He recently survived a major earthquake and has been experiencing these symptoms since then, about a month ago. He is constantly on edge, expecting another disaster. What could be the potential diagnosis?
This patient's symptoms, which started after experiencing a major earthquake, are suggestive of Acute Stress Disorder (ASD). ASD is characterized by the development of severe anxiety, dissociation, and other symptoms that occur within one month after exposure to an extreme traumatic event. The person has a persistently re-experiencing the traumatic event and is experiencing marked avoidance of stimuli that arouse recollections of the trauma.