The individual must immediately consult a psychiatrist or psychologist to completely diagnose PTSD. For these health professionals, they are guided by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). As directly lifted from DSM-5, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can be diagnosed by following several criteria:
Criteria A: The person was exposed to: death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened se.xual violence.
Direct involvementWitness of the said eventIndirectly, by learning the event through an individual (family or friend). The event should be pure accidental or violent in nature.Repeated direct and/or indirect exposure to the hazardous event. This usually involves professionals dealing with violence or accidents.
Criteria B: Intrusion symptoms - should have at least 1 of the 5 symptoms
Recurrent, involuntary and intrusive recollections - often very repetitive and unintentional Traumatic nightmares - recurrent, may cause insomniaDissociative reactions - like flashbacks or episodes of loss of consciousness Intense emotional stress after exposure to traumatic reminders - may exhibit extreme emotions such as irritability or cryingMarked physiological reactivity after exposure to trauma-related stimuli - often jittery or with j.erky movements
Criteria C: Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma - needs to have 1 of the 2 symptoms
Trauma-related thoughts or feelings - emotions felt during the eventTrauma-related external reminders - related individuals, profession, activity, etc.
Criteria D: Negative alterations in cognitions and mood that are associated with the traumatic event - at least 2 out of the 7 symptoms must be present
Inability to recall key features of the traumatic event - marked amnesia, usually a dissociative symptomPersistent and distorted negative beliefs and expectations about oneself or the world - statements such as, "I'm too dangerous to be with others," "I can't survive in this cruel world."Persistent distorted blame of self or others for causing the traumatic event or for resulting consequences - "I shouldn't have participated in that event," or "The company shouldn't have deployed me there."Persistent negative trauma-related emotions - extreme anxiety, irritability, anger, shame, or guilt Markedly diminished interest in (pre-traumatic) significant activities - uninterested in doing activities they previously liked so muchFeeling alienated from others Constricted affect - inability to feel true emotions like happiness, sadness, etc.
Criteria E: Alterations in arousal and reactivity that are associated with the traumatic event - at least 2 out of the 6 symptoms must be present
Irritable or aggressive behaviorSelf-destructive or reckless startle responseProblems in concentrationSleep disturbance
Additional REQUIRED criteria: MUST HAVE ALL 3 SYMPTOMS
The symptoms should be continuously occurring for more than a month.The condition effectively impairs the person's daily life routine.The condition is NOT attributable to any substances like drugs, alcohol, or other existing medical condition.
