Anxiety Disorders Center:  Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

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Most people experience an extremely distressing or traumatic event at some point in their lives. In most cases, people eventually "put it behind them" and are able to move on. However, sometimes the person cannot move beyond the trauma and remains mentally and emotionally "stuck." Such an individual may suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD.

Some traumas that can lead to PTSD include:

• Rape and sexual assault
• Child abuse
• Combat
• Fire or disaster
• Sudden loss of a loved one
• Witnessing violent or frightening events

Some of the symptoms of PTSD involve re-experiencing the trauma in one’s thoughts and feelings. For example, a person who was raped might spend a lot of time thinking about the rape. She may have bad dreams or nightmares about it. She might become very upset whenever she is reminded about it.

Other symptoms of PTSD involve "shutting down" behaviorally or emotionally. For example, a combat veteran might avoid TV shows and movies about war, because to watch them would be too painful. He might be unwilling to talk to others about the war or even to think about it. He may lose interest in his usual activities and become isolated from his family and friends. At times, he may feel emotionally numb, as if he has no feelings at all.

Finally, some symptoms of PTSD involve signs of general arousal, anxiety, or agitation. For example, someone whose home was destroyed in a hurricane might have difficulty sleeping or concentrating. She might feel irritable and may have difficulty controlling her temper. She may feel "wary" all the time, always on the lookout for signs of danger. When someone moves suddenly or makes a noise, she might get startled or jump.

It should be noted that many of the symptoms of PTSD are considered normal for people who have recently been through a traumatic event. Therefore, PTSD is not diagnosed until the symptoms have persisted for over a month and are interfering with the person’s life. Sometimes, a person can show severe and excessive symptoms of distress immediately after the trauma. This individual might have Acute Stress Disorder, which can sometimes develop into PTSD.

Do you have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?	Print this questionnaire
Have you experienced or witnessed an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of yourself or others?	YES	NO
When this event happened, did you feel intense fear, helplessness, or horror?	YES	NO
Do you experience recurrent and intrusive distressing memories, images, or thoughts of the event?	YES	NO
Do you experience recurrent distressing dreams of the event?	YES	NO
Do you sometimes act or feel as if the event were happening again?	YES	NO
Do you feel very distressed or anxious when you see or hear something that reminds you of the event?	YES	NO
Do you get strong physical sensations of anxiety (like racing heart, rapid breathing, sweating) when you see or hear something that reminds you of the event?	YES	NO
Do you go out of your way to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the event?	YES	NO
Do you go out of your way to avoid activities, places, or people that arouse recollections of the event?	YES	NO
Are you unable to recall an important aspect of the event?	YES	NO
Have you lost interest in significant activities?	YES	NO
Do you feel detached or estranged from others?	YES	NO
Do you feel emotionally "numb", or like you are unable to feel certain feelings?	YES	NO
Do you have a sense that your future will be bleak or short?	YES	NO
Do you have difficulty falling or staying asleep?	YES	NO
Do you have irritability or outbursts of anger?	YES	NO
Do you have difficulty concentrating?	YES	NO
Are you constantly "on guard" or watchful for danger?	YES	NO
Are you "jumpy" or do you get startled easily?	YES	NO
Have you experienced these problems for more than one month?	YES	NO
Do these problems cause you to feel very distressed, anxious, or upset?	YES	NO
Do these problems impair your social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning?	YES	NO

You might have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder if all of the following are true:

• You answered YES to items 1 and 2
• You answered YES to at least one of items 3-7
• You answered YES to at least three of items 8-14
• You answered YES to at least two of items 15-19
• You answered YES to item 20
• You answered YES to at least one of items 21 or 22

Note: This questionnaire is for informational purposes only and is not intended to function as a psychological or psychiatric assessment.  Diagnosis of psychiatric disorders requires a careful evaluation by a trained professional. Click here to learn how to get help for this condition at the Anxiety Disorders Center.

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