Acute Stress Disorder
It may not manifest itself fully until as much as one month after a person experiences a particularly strong stressful event. Such an event can be witnessing a death, a near death experience, witnessing or experiencing a serious injury, physical violation such as rape, or other major traumas. However, much of the time it will appear very soon after the event has occurred, if not during the event itself.
People experiencing such events can allow themselves to become disassociated, entering a dreamlike state where they feel safer and do not have to focus on the event, having a poor memory of it that is called dissociative amnesia. The person seems numb or has a reduced sense of his or her surroundings and can have problems sleeping due to increased anxiety. Even though he or she may seem dreamy and unresponsive, the person may still be replaying the events in his or her mind, which can be all the more reason for them to have sleeping problems and anxiety issues. If the acute stress disorder persists for longer than a month, then it may be changed to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Therapy is the best way of combating this stress disorder. Allowing the person to feel safe and help change their thought patterns of the event. Changing behavior during an anxiety-provoking condition can also help the person to deal with their stress disorder. It is important that the person receive help; if therapy is performed soon enough, post-traumatic stress disorder can be avoided altogether. 
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