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According to the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV of the American Psychiatric Association,
PTSD results from experiencing or witnessing a serious threat to one's, or
someone else's, physical well-being. Examples of traumatic events include rape
or other severe physical assaults, near death experiences and accidents,
witnessing a murder, and combat. Major threats to one's personal integrity can
also result in PTSD. The symptoms include re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance
of circumstances associated with the trauma, numbing of general responsiveness,
and symptoms of increased arousal.
Re-experiencing the trauma occurs in the following ways:
- Repeated intrusive distressing memories of the event including images, or
thoughts
- Recurrent distressing dreams of the trauma
- Acting or feeling as if the trauma were happening again (includes a feeling
of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and flashbacks)
- Intense distress when exposed to internal or an external triggers that
resemble aspects of the traumatic event
Persistent avoidance of circumstances associated with the trauma and numbing
of general responsiveness (not present before the trauma), are 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 stir up memories of the
trauma
- Inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma
- Greatly diminished interest in participating in significant activities
- Feeling of detachment or estrangement from others
- Limited range of emotion (e.g., unable to have loving feelings)
- Sense of a foreshortened future (e.g., does not expect to have a career,
marriage, children, or a normal lifespan)
Persistent symptoms of arousal (not present before the trauma) are indicated
by at least two of the following:
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Irritability or outburst of anger
- Hypervigilant (constantly being on the alert for danger)
- Exaggerated startle response
To be classified as PTSD, the above systems must be present for more than one
month and cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or
other important areas of functioning. If the symptoms are present for less than
three months, the disorder is considered to be acute. If the symptoms are
present for three months or more, the disorder is considered to be chronic.
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