How Do You Know You Actually Have PTSD?
Posted: March 2, 2023
As the world becomes more trauma-informed, it’s common to hear about people seeking treatment for trauma or accessing support to help them cope. The term “trauma,” may be mentioned often, but the experience of trauma in and of itself does not mean that a person has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). So, how can you determine if you actually have PTSD and when therapy for PTSD is appropriate? Ultimately, you must see a mental health professional for a diagnosis, but understanding the signs and symptoms of PTSD can help you decide when to seek treatment.
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a disorder included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This is a diagnostic tool utilized by mental health professionals. PTSD is diagnosed when a person directly experiences a traumatic event or learns of such an event happening to others, by witnessing it or hearing about the event. To be diagnosed with PTSD, a person must meet the following criteria:- Experiencing a traumatic event, such as actual or threatened death of you or a loved one, a severe injury, or sexual violence, whether directly or by observing such an event happen to someone else
- Hearing about traumatic events happening to others, or repeatedly experiencing traumatic events happening to others, such as through work as a police officer or paramedic
- Demonstrating symptoms of intrusion, which include:
- Unwanted memories of the traumatic event
- Nightmares pertaining to the event
- Flashbacks of the event, which at times can cause a person to entirely dissociate from their surroundings
- Significant distress when exposed to reminders of the event
- Physiological reactions, such as racing heart and sweaty palms, when exposed to reminders of the event
- Showing avoidance symptoms, such as repressing upsetting thoughts or memories about the event, or avoiding visual reminders of the event, such as people or objects involved in it
- Experiencing negative thoughts pertaining to the event, which can manifest as:
- Inability to remember parts of the event
- Developing negative beliefs about oneself or the world, such as believing that the self or the entire world is flawed
- Inappropriately blaming oneself or someone else for the event
- Ongoing negative emotions, such as guilt, fear, shame, over anger
- Losing interest in regular activities
- Detaching from other people
- Being unable to express pleasant emotions like joy
- Evidence of increased arousal or reactivity, such as by:
- Having outbursts of anger or irritability, which can include verbal or physical attacks against others
- Reckless or dangerous behavior
- Hypervigilance
- Being easily startled
- Having problems with concentration
- Suffering from sleep disturbances, such as experiencing restless sleep or having a hard time falling asleep