anxiety_disorders


How can I tell if it's post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?

The symptoms of anxiety, sadness and fear that most people feel following a life-threatening event are not the same as the symptoms experienced by someone with PTSD. To determine if you are suffering from PTSD answer Yes or No in response to the following questions:

Have you experienced or witnessed a life threatening event that caused intense fear, helplessness or horror? Yes No
Do you re-experience the event in a least one of the following ways:
repeated, distressing memories and/or dreams? Yes No
acting or feeling as if the event were happening again (flashbacks or a sense of reliving it)? Yes No
intense physical and/or emotional distress when you are exposed to things that remind you of the event? Yes No
Do you avoid reminders of the event and feel numb, compared to the way you felt before, in three or more of the following ways:
avoiding thoughts, feelings, or conversations about it? Yes No
avoiding activities, places, or people who remind you of it? Yes No
blanking on important parts of it? Yes No
losing interest in significant activities of your life? Yes No
feeling detached from other people? Yes No
feeling your range or emotions is restricted? Yes No
sensing that your future has shrunk (for example, you don't expect to have a career, marriage, children, or a normal life span)? Yes No
Are you troubled by two or more of the following:
problems sleeping? Yes No
irritability or outbursts of anger? Yes No
problems concentrating? Yes No
feeling "on guard"? Yes No
an exaggerated startle response? Yes No
Do your symptoms interfere with your daily life? Yes No
Have your symptoms lasted at least one month? Yes No

If you answered Yes to one or more of the above questions, you may have PTSD and should consider seeking professional help.

Post traumatic stress disorder is a treatable condition. To find out more about how The Ross Center for Anxiety & Related Disorders can help you overcome PTSD and/or to schedule a consultation/diagnostic evaluation with Jerilyn Ross, the Center's director, or with another staff member, please call (202) 363-1010 or fill out the contact form.

Back to An Overview of Anxiety Disorders

Disclaimer: This site contains general reference information and is not intended
as a substitute for consulting with your physician or other healthcare professional.