|
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Individuals with this disorder have been exposed to a traumatic event in
which they or others were threatened with death or serious injury. During the
event they responded with fear, helplessness, or horror and since the event they
have had the following symptoms for more than 1 month.
Reexperiencing the trauma: The traumatic event is persistently
reexperienced in at least one of the following ways:
- Recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event
- Recurrent distressing dreams of the event
- Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring
- Intense psychological distress at exposure to cues that symbolize or
resemble aspects of the event
- Physiological reactivity on exposure to cues that symbolize or resemble
aspects of the event
Avoidance and numbing: Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with
the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness as indicated by at least three
of the following:
- Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the
trauma
- Efforts to avoid activities, places, or people that arouse recollections
of the trauma
- Inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma
- Diminished interest or participation in significant activities
- Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others
- Restricted range of affect
- Sense of foreshortened future
Arousal: Persistent symptoms of arousal as indicated by at least two of
the following:
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Irritability or outbursts of anger
- Difficulty concentrating
- Hypervigilance
- Exaggerated startle response
|