How to Determine if You Have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Nov 14, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhang Baohua
Introduction
To determine whether someone has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one can refer to factors such as traumatic experiences and symptom presentation. Generally, PTSD involves clear exposure to a traumatic event, repeated re-experiencing of the trauma through memories or flashbacks, negative changes in mood and cognition, and heightened arousal or hypervigilance. The individual may have experienced or witnessed an event that threatened life or caused serious injury—such as accidents, violence, or disasters—and felt intense fear, helplessness, or horror at the time.
To determine whether someone has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one can refer to factors such as traumatic experiences and symptom presentation. Generally, PTSD involves clear exposure to a traumatic event, repeated re-experiencing of the trauma, persistent avoidance of related stimuli, negative changes in mood and cognition, and heightened arousal. A detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Clear exposure to a traumatic event: Having experienced or witnessed an event that threatened life or caused serious injury—such as accidents, violence, or disasters—and having felt intense fear or helplessness at the time is the prerequisite for developing PTSD.
2. Repeated re-experiencing of the trauma: Involuntary recall of traumatic details, distressing dreams related to the event, or intense psychological and physical reactions (e.g., rapid heartbeat, sweating) when exposed to similar situations, often accompanied by vivid re-experiencing of the trauma.
3. Persistent avoidance of trauma-related stimuli: Deliberate avoidance of people, places, objects, or conversations associated with the trauma; refusal to talk about the experience; and even suppression of thoughts that might trigger memories, all aimed at escaping emotional distress.
4. Negative changes in mood and cognition: Prolonged negative emotional states such as numbness, anxiety, or depression; loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities; cognitive distortions including self-blame and hopelessness about the future; and difficulty forming close relationships.
5. Heightened arousal: Constant state of tension, being easily startled, difficulty concentrating, poor sleep quality, irritability, impulsive behaviors, and increased sensitivity to surroundings, with a persistent sense of vigilance for potential threats.
If multiple symptoms listed above persist for more than one month and significantly impair daily functioning, prompt medical evaluation is necessary. A professional diagnosis should be made by a qualified clinician based on medical history and standardized assessment tools. Self-assessment serves only as preliminary reference and cannot replace professional evaluation.
