Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
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What is PTSD?
Posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing an event or set of circumstances that are harmful or even life-threatening. Examples include, but are not limited to: violence, sexual assault, natural disasters, and witnessing or hearing about unexpected death.
These concerns are common after experiencing any stressful event. Many naturally heal through social connection and engaging in meaningful activities. But for an estimated 1 in 11 people here in the United States, these symptoms persist and interfere with our daily lives.
Do I have PTSD?
This screener is often used by primary care providers to determine if one would benefit from a more in-depth conversation or assessment about PTSD.
Answering "yes" to any or all of these questions does not mean that you have PTSD. But if you answer "yes" one or more of the items and find it to be preventing you from living the life you want, it may be useful to seek support for PTSD.
Sometimes things happen to people that are unusually or especially frightening, horrible, or traumatic. Have you ever experienced this kind of event?
In the past month, have you...
1. had nightmares about the event(s) or thought about the event(s) when you did not want to?
2. tried hard not to think about the event(s) or went out of your way to avoid situations that reminded you of the event(s)?
3. been constantly on guard, watchful, or easily startled?
4. felt numb or detached from people, activities, or your surroundings?
5. felt guilty or unable to stop blaming yourself or others for the event(s) or any problems the event(s) may have caused?
Self-Help
There are several self-help guides to support independently healing PTSD. One, called Getting Unstuck from PTSD, was written by the creators of Cognitive Processing Therapy (a type of CBT) and teaches you techniques evidenced to help resolve trauma-related symptoms.
If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of PTSD, it can sometimes help to find a support group to connect with others who have or still experience the same concerns.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
People experiencing PTSD are frequently helped through psychotherapy. CBT for PTSD involves talking with your therapist about what happens for you when reminders about the trauma arise.
CBT focuses on how your thoughts, behaviors, emotions, and bodily responses all interact when you experience stress that interferes with your life. Processing trauma means exploring the context of the trauma and/or how it is impacting you in your present life.