We often get asked the question, ” I’m having some of the symptoms of PTSD. How do I know if I have PTSD?” The only way to know for sure if you have PTSD is to talk to your physician or a mental health care provider. He or she will ask you about your trauma, your symptoms, and any other problems you are having. If you think you might have PTSD, answer the questions in the screening tool below. Keep in mind that this tool is offered for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.
PTSD Screening
Sometimes things happen to people that are unusually or especially frightening, horrible, or traumatic. For example, a serious accident or fire, a physical or sexual assault or abuse, an earthquake, flood, tornado or hurricane, a war, seeing someone be killed or seriously injured, or having a loved one die through homicide or suicide.
Have you ever experienced this kind of event? Yes / No
If yes, please answer the questions below.
In the past month, have you:
- Had nightmares about the event(s) or thought about the event(s) when you didn’t want to?
- 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)?
- Been constantly on guard, watchful, or easily startled?
- Felt numb or detached from people, activities, or your surroundings?
- Felt guilty or unable to stop blaming yourself or others for the event(s) or any problems the event(s) may have caused?
If you answered “yes” to 3 or more of these questions, please talk to a mental health care provider to learn more about PTSD and PTSD treatment. Answering “yes” to 3 or more questions does not mean you have PTSD. Only your physician or mental health professional can tell you for sure if this is what you are experiencing.
Also, please keep in mind that regardless of your score on this educational screening, if you are having thoughts and feelings about some recent traumatic event or one that took place long ago and these thoughts and feeling are troubling you, or if you are concerned about your use of alcohol or other drugs, speak with a mental health professional.
June 2020 is PTSD Awareness Month. To learn more about PTSD’s symptoms and its effective treatments, please visit our blog post here, or visit The National Institute of Mental Health or The National Center for PTSD
Educational Survey was adopted from:
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/publications/print/understandingptsd_booklet.pdf
About Espyr
Espyr’s innovative mental health solutions, coaching and assistance programs have been helping employees and organizations achieve their full potential for 30 years. For more information on how Espyr can help your organization, call Espyr at 888-570-3479 or click here.
