Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

(PTSD)

PostTraumatic Stress Disorder

DSM-IV Criteria

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 persons response involved

intense fear, helplessness, or horror.
Note: In children, this may be
expressed instead by disorganized
or agitated behavior.

DSM-V Criteria

Exposure to actual or threatened

death, serious injury, or sexual
violation in one (or more) of the
following ways:

Directly experiencing the traumatic

event(s)

Witnessing, in person, the event(s)

as it occurred to others

Learning that the event(s)

occurred to a close family member
or close friend

Experiencing repeated or extreme

exposure to aversive details of the
traumatic event(s)

PostTraumatic Stress Disorder

The traumatic event is persistently reexperienced in

one (or more) of the following ways:

Presence of one (or more) of the following

intrusion symptoms associated with the
traumatic event(s), beginning after the
traumatic event(s) occurred:

(3) 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.

(4) Recurrent distressing dreams of the event. Note: In

children, there may be frightening dreams without
recognizable content.

1. Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive

distressing memories of the traumatic event(s).

(5) 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, traumaspecific reenactment may occur.

2. Recurrent distressing dreams in which the

content and/or affect of the dream are
related to the traumatic event(s).

3. Dissociative reactions (eg, flashbacks) in

which the individual feels or acts as if the
traumatic event(s) were recurring. (Such
reactions may occur on a continuum, with the
most extreme expression being a complete
loss of awareness of present surroundings.)

(6) Intense psychological distress at exposure to internal

or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect
of the traumatic event.

(7) Physiological reactivity on exposure to internal or

external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of
the traumatic event.

4. Intense or prolonged psychological distress

at exposure to internal or external cues that
symbolize or resemble an aspect of the
traumatic event(s).

5. Marked physiological reactions to internal

or external cues that symbolize or resemble an

PostTraumatic Stress Disorder

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:

(8) Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or

conversations associated with the trauma

(9) Efforts to avoid activities, places, or people

that arouse recollections of the trauma

(10) Inability to recall an important aspect of

the trauma

(11) Markedly diminished interest or

participation in significant activities

(12) Feeling of detachment or estrangement

from others

(13) Restricted range of affect (e.g., unable to

have loving feelings)

(14) Sense of a foreshortened future (e.g.,

does not expect to have a career, marriage,
children, or a normal lifespan)

Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated

with the traumatic event(s), beginning after
the traumatic event(s) occurred, as
evidenced by one or both of the following:

1. Avoidance of or efforts to avoid distressing

memories, thoughts, or feelings about or
closely associated with the traumatic event(s).

2. Avoidance of or efforts to avoid external

reminders (people, places, conversations,
activities, objects, situations) that arouse
distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings
about or closely associated with the traumatic
event(s).

PostTraumatic Stress Disorder

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:

(8) Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations

associated with the trauma

(9) Efforts to avoid activities, places, or people that

arouse recollections of the trauma

(10) Inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma

(11) Markedly diminished interest or participation in

significant activities

(12) Feeling of detachment or estrangement from others

(13) Restricted range of affect (e.g., unable to have

loving feelings)

(14) Sense of a foreshortened future (e.g., does not

expect to have a career, marriage, children, or a
normal lifespan)

Negative alterations in cognitions and mood associated

with the traumatic event(s), beginning or worsening after
the traumatic event(s) occurred, as evidenced by two
(or more) of the following:

1. Inability to remember an important aspect of the

traumatic event(s) (typically due to dissociative
amnesia and not to other factors such as head injury,
alcohol, or drugs).

2. Persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs or

expectations about oneself, others, or the world

3. Persistent, distorted cognitions about the cause or

consequences of the traumatic event(s) that lead the
individual to blamehimself/herself or others.

4. Persistent negative emotional state (eg, fear, horror,

anger, guilt, or shame).

5. Markedly diminished interest or participation in

significant activities.

6. Feelings of detachment or estrangement from

others.

7. Persistent inability to experience positive emotions

(eg, inability to experience happiness, satisfaction, or
loving feelings).

PostTraumatic Stress Disorder

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

Marked alterations in arousal and reactivity

associated with the traumatic event(s),
beginning or worsening after the traumatic
event(s) occurred, as evidenced by two (or
more) of the following:

1. Irritable behavior and angry outbursts (with

little or no provocation) typically expressed as
verbal or physical aggression toward people
or objects.

2. Reckless or self-destructive behavior.

3. Hypervigilance.

4. Exaggerated startle response.

5. Problems with concentration.

6. Sleep disturbance (eg, difficulty falling or

staying asleep or restless sleep).

PostTraumatic Stress Disorder

Duration of the disturbance

(symptoms in Criteria B, C, and
D) is more than 1 month.
The disturbance causes
clinically significant distress or
impairment in social,
occupational, or other
important areas of functioning.
The disturbance is not
attributable to the
physiological effects of a
substance (eg, medication,
alcohol) or another medical
condition.

Duration of the disturbance

(Criteria B, C, D, and E) is more
than one month.
The disturbance causes
clinically significant distress or
impairment in social,
occupational, or other
important areas of functioning.
The disturbance is not
attributable to the
physiological effects of a
substance (eg, medication,
alcohol) or another medical
condition.