Diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder

Małgorzata Dąbkowska

eISSN: 2084-9885
ISSN: 1896-6764

Neuropsychiatria i Neuropsychologia/Neuropsychiatry and Neuropsychology

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2/2008
vol. 3

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abstract:

Diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder

Małgorzata Dąbkowska

Neuropsychiatria i Neuropsychologia 2008; 3, 2: 80-84

Online publish date: 2008/09/17

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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that has been estimated to affect several percent of individuals who are exposed to traumatic events. It is significant that not all individuals exposed to traumatic events develop PTSD symptoms and women are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD. Other factors play a role in the development of this disorder. Symptoms include re-experiencing the trauma (e.g. nightmares or intrusive thoughts), avoidance and numbing (e.g. memory loss or feeling unable to love), and increased arousal (e.g. difficulty sleeping or hypervigilance). Fundamental features of PTSD include the following: the symptoms are linked to the traumatic event and are not random, the symptoms were not present prior to the traumatic event, and the symptoms are present 1 month or later than completion of the traumatic event.

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Diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder

Małgorzata Dąbkowska

post-traumatic stress disorder, diagnosis, symptoms, risk factors