Ways To Determine If You Have PTSD

If you’ve been through some traumatic events like an accident, assault, a natural disaster, or war, you might be at risk for developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The symptoms of PTSD can linger on for over one month after exposure to the trauma, affecting your daily life during this period. If you’ve been through a traumatic event and feel like you might have PTSD, you can use a PTSD helpline to talk to someone to get support.

Sometimes, it doesn’t even have to be you who’s been through the trauma yourself. Even being close to someone who has the condition can trigger PTSD symptoms.

Common Symptoms of PTSD

People with PTSD often experience the following symptoms persistently for longer than a month from the day of the traumatic incident.

• Flashbacks of the event, including physical symptoms like a racing heartbeat or breaking into a sweat
• Nightmares
• Feeling like you’re always on edge
• Having trouble sleeping
• Not being able to remember details about the traumatic event itself
• Compulsively avoiding things that are related to the event (places, dates, objects, etc.)
• Experiencing distorted feelings about the event
• Recurring negative thoughts about yourself or the world in general
• The worst symptoms of PTSD may include suicidal thoughts.

If you’re going through one or all of the symptoms persistently for over a month, you likely have PTSD.

You’re Not Alone

In the US, 10% of all women and 4% of all men develop PTSD at some point in their lives. At that rate, it means that over 8 million people deal with PTSD every single year. It may feel like no one understands what you’re going through, but millions are going through the problem.

Most people find themselves isolated because they can’t find anyone who can at least partially understand the condition. Or you might even feel judged when opening up to those you know. If you are going through such experiences, it is a good idea to head over to a PTSD helpline to seek support from individuals who’ve been through it or have cared for someone with PTSD.

Questions to Ask Yourself to Determine if You Have PTSD

Remember, PTSD is treatable. You can manage the symptoms by getting help from the right source at the right time. The sooner you ask questions and get the help you need, the easier it would be to work through the trauma and get to a normal life again. It might take a lot of work, but it’s totally doable; you just have to take the first step.

Here’re some questions you might ask yourself to determine if you have PTSD:

• Do my symptoms count as having PTSD?
• Could I have another mental illness instead?
• How can I cope with my symptoms on my own?
• Are my symptoms bad enough to see a doctor and get medication?
• Based on my symptoms, which type of treatment would be best for me?
• How much would the treatment cost in my city/state?
• Would insurance cover my treatment? If not, are there any free centers I could go to to see a therapist?

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