{"id":10839,"date":"2022-01-27T13:56:27","date_gmt":"2022-01-27T18:56:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sleepy-visvesvaraya.209-59-154-116.plesk.page\/?p=10839"},"modified":"2022-01-27T13:56:27","modified_gmt":"2022-01-27T18:56:27","slug":"test-for-ptsd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kynetdesign.in\/watergap\/2022\/01\/27\/test-for-ptsd\/","title":{"rendered":"Is There a Test for PTSD?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating mental condition that affects approximately 3.5 percent of the United States population every year. The intense and vivid memories people experience due to a past traumatic event can severely disrupt their lives. If those with PTSD do not seek professional help, the mental anguish they experience may drive them to substance use, self-harm, and even suicide. Because of that fact, early and accurate diagnosis is absolutely critical in order for those with PTSD to manage and live with this condition.<\/span><\/p>\n

For those who suffer from PTSD and their families, the first question that is asked is if there is a test for PTSD. Fortunately, there are comprehensive tests for PTSD that allow for an accurate diagnosis of the condition. While some self-tests can be utilized, those should not be used for self-diagnosis. Instead, an exact PTSD diagnosis meets certain criteria, and testing needs to be performed by experienced mental health professionals. This article will take a deeper look at that process.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Professional Mental Health Screening is a Vital First Step<\/span><\/h2>\n

In order for someone to be properly diagnosed with PTSD, people must undergo an initial screening done by their primary care provider. This screening typically involves questions regarding the patient’s emotional states, sleep patterns, anger issues, and any lab tests that would rule out physical conditions that may be causing their PTSD symptoms. From this initial assessment, the primary care provider will often refer the patient to a mental health professional for more in-depth assessments, leading to an official diagnosis of PTSD.<\/span><\/p>\n

An Official Diagnosis of PTSD<\/b><\/p>\n

Using the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-V), a mental health professional will determine if someone has PTSD. Symptoms fall into four categories:<\/span><\/p>\n

Intrusive Thoughts<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

These can include involuntary memories, distressing dreams, or flashbacks of the traumatic event. These flashbacks people experience are lucid, and people feel they are re-living the traumatic experience over again or seeing it before their eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Avoidance<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

People avoid the people, places, activities, objects, and situations that may trigger memories of their past trauma. People may try to avoid remembering or thinking about the traumatic event and will also avoid talking about what happened or their feelings about those traumatic events.<\/span><\/p>\n

Changes in Cognition and Mood<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

People who struggle with PTSD struggle to remember important aspects of the traumatic event. As a result, people’s beliefs about themselves and others are distorted. These distorted thoughts about the cause or consequences of the event often lead to blaming self or others.<\/span><\/p>\n

Changes in Arousal and Activity<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Arousal and reactive symptoms may include being irritable and having angry outbursts; behaving recklessly or in a self-destructive way; being overly watchful of one’s surroundings in a suspecting way; being easily startled, or having problems concentrating or sleeping.<\/span><\/p>\n

In order to receive an official PTSD diagnosis, people need to display all of the following for at least one month:<\/span><\/p>\n