Answer to Question #259414 in Psychology for sbahle

Question

What conditions have to be met before a person can be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder?

Answer 1

Before the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, the conditions to be met include exposure to a traumatic event. The event could be witnessing a threat or actual death of a person, sexual violence, or witnessing vital injury to an individual. Evidence of intrusion should be present such as repeated upsetting memories or dreams of the event. Symptoms of avoidance also need to be exhibited by the individual such as avoiding situations, people, or conversations that remind them of the event. At least two symptoms of mood and feeling changes that are negative should be present. These could be in the form of loss of memory of an event that occurred or loss of interest in enjoyable activities. Finally, at least two symptoms of reactivity or arousal should be present. The symptoms presented should have occurred for more than a month and need to cause considerable distress to the individual.