PTSD

Diagnostic Criteria:
A. The person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both of the following were present: 1. the person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others 2. the person's response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror. Note: In children, this may be expressed instead by disorganized or agitated behavior

B. The traumatic event is persistently reexperienced in one (or more) of the following ways:
1. recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event, including images, thoughts, or perceptions. Note: In young children, repetitive play may occur in which themes or aspects of the trauma are expressed. 2. recurrent distressing dreams of the event. Note: In children, there may be frightening dreams without recognizable content. 3. acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring (includes a sense of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and dissociative flashback episodes, including those that occur on awakening or when intoxicated). Note: In young children, trauma-specific reenactment may occur. 4. intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event. 5. physiological reactivity on exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event

C. Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness (not present before the trauma), as indicated by three (or more) of the following:
1. efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the trauma; 2. efforts to avoid activities, places, or people that arouse recollections of the trauma; 3. inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma;. 4. markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities; 5. feeling of detachment or estrangement from others; 6. restricted range of affect (e.g., unable to have loving feelings); 7. sense of a foreshortened future (e.g., does not expect to have a career, marriage, children, or a normal life span).

D. Persistent symptoms of increased arousal (not present before the trauma), as indicated by two (or more) of the following: 1. difficulty falling or staying asleep; 2. irritability or outbursts of anger; 3. difficulty concentrating; 4. Hypervigilance; 5. exaggerated startle response.

E. Duration of the disturbance (symptoms in Criteria B, C, and D) is more than 1 month.
F. The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupa-tional, or other important areas of functioning.

(1) Acute: if duration of symptoms is less than 3 months (2) Chronic: if duration of symptoms is 3 months or more (3) With Delayed Onset: if onset of symptoms is at least 6 months after the stressor

Associated Features: Depressed Mood, Somatic/Sexual Dysfunction, Guilt/Obsession, Addiction

The American Counseling Association offers the following information, which is equally helpful for individuals facing other emotional crises in their lives.

10 Ways to Recognize Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

After a loss, it is normal to go through a natural grieving process. Sometimes, however, after a tragedy, such as a sudden traumatic event, feelings of loss surface several weeks or months after the tragedy occurred. This is called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recognizing these symptoms in yourself or others is the first step toward recovery and finding appropriate treatment.

1) Re-experiencing the event through vivid memories or flash backs

2) Feeling “emotionally numb”

3) Feeling overwhelmed by what would normally be considered everyday situations and diminished interest in performing normal tasks or pursuing usual interests

4) Crying uncontrollably

5) Isolating oneself from family and friends and avoiding social situations

6) Relying increasingly on alcohol or drugs to get through the day

7) Feeling extremely moody, irritable, angry, suspicious or frightened

8) Having difficulty falling or staying asleep, sleeping too much and experiencing nightmares

9) Feeling guilty about surviving the event or being unable to solve the problem, change the event or prevent the disaster

10) Feeling fears and sense of doom about the future