PTSD self test

	Pregnancy and Medication Social Anxiety Disorder and Depression

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SELF-TEST

If you suspect that you might suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, complete the following self-test by clicking the "yes or "no" boxes next to each question, print out the test and show the results to your health care professional.

HOW CAN I TELL IF IT'S PTSD?
Yes or No?

Yes No

Have you experienced or witnessed a life-threatening event that caused intense fear, helplessness or horror?

Do you re-experience the event in at least one of the following ways?

Yes No	Repeated, distressing memories and/or dreams?
Yes No	Acting or feeling as if the event were happening again (flashbacks or a sense of reliving it)?
Yes No	Intense physical and/or emotional distress when you are exposed to things that remind you of the event?

Do you avoid reminders of the event and feel numb, compared to the way you felt before, in three
or more of the following ways:

Yes No	Avoiding thoughts, feelings, or conversations about it?
Yes No	Avoiding activities, places, or people who remind you of it?
Yes No	Blanking on important parts of it?
Yes No	Losing interest in significant activities of you life?
Yes No	Feeling detached from other people?
Yes No	Feeling your range of emotions is restricted?
Yes No	Sensing that your future has shrunk (for example, you don't expect to have a career, marriage, children, or a normal life span)?

Are you troubled by two or more of the following:

Yes No	Problems sleeping?
Yes No	Irritability or outbursts of anger?
Yes No	Problems concentrating?
Yes No	Feeling "on guard"?
Yes No	An exaggerated startle response?

Having more than one illness at the same time can make it difficult to diagnosis and treat the different conditions. Illnesses that sometimes complicate an anxiety disorder such as posttraumatic stress disorder include depression and substance abuse. With this in mind, please take a minute to answer the following questions:

Yes No

Have you experienced changes in sleeping or eating habits?

More days than not, do you feel:

Yes No	Sad or depressed?
Yes No	Disinterested in life?
Yes No	Worthless or guilty?

During the last year, has the use of alcohol or drugs:

Yes No	Resulted in your failure to fulfill responsibilities with work, school, or family?
Yes No	Placed you in a dangerous situation, such as driving a car under the influence?
Yes No	Gotten you arrested?
Yes No	Continued despite causing problems for you and/or your loved ones?

Reference:
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 1994.

If you or someone you know would like more information on posttraumatic stress disorder, please click here to go to the ADAA resource page on this topic.