PTSD Checklist | Symptoms | Fillable PDF | Word | RTF
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PTSD stands for post traumatic stress syndrome. PTSD can be triggered by an extremely frightening event, generally involving the threat of injury of death. You may have been directly involved in the incident yourself, or you may have been a witness. Originally diagnosed in military personnel, in recent years mental health professionals have been observing this syndrome with greater frequency throughout the general population as well.
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When we get frightened, it is perfectly normal for healthy people to undergo the “fight or flight” response. This enables us to react decisively to a real threat in the here and now. Those with PTSD may undergo this type of high emotional stress point even when they are in no jeopardy at all. Obviously, this makes living a normal mental life difficult or impossible.
Battle experiences are what can leave military personnel with PTSD. Kidnapping, rape, assault and accidents are among the causes of PTSD in civilians.
Using a PTSD Checklist
Only a medical professional can properly diagnose PTSD, a complex psychological condition. A PTSD Checklist would indicate some things that a professional might look for. It’s actually very telling that, whether the suspected case of PTSD is military or nonmilitary in origin, the medical professional will be asking almost the exact same questions.
Do you have trouble remembering every part of the traumatic event that may have caused PTSD?
Do you suffer from abnormal breathing or an increased pulse rate when something makes him or think about or even remember the event? Do you avoid things, places or people completely unrelated to the event that remind you of it?
Do you willfully avoid talking about the traumatic event? Do you actually try to blank it out of your mind?
Do you have nightmares about the event or even suffer fearful memories about it during the light of day? Does the event sometimes feel as though it is actually reoccurring?
Has the emotional aftermath of this event caused you to lose interest in people or things that you used to enjoy? Has it made you feel distant or out of place?
Are you more jumpy than you used to be? Do you have difficulty sleeping or concentrating?
Are you relationships with people, whether family, friends or even strangers, clouded with a coldness or numbness not characteristic of you?
Do you always feel as though you have to be on guard? Are you overly suspicious when there is really no reason to be?
Have you experienced unexpected physical problems, such as stomach, headaches or in women, gynecological problems? Have you experienced a sudden gain or loss of weight?
Sources
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