Symptoms and Signs
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Signs
This page pulls together the symptom-level picture of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in a way that is easier to skim than the full pillar page.
Main diagnosis page
Return to the full Posttraumatic Stress Disorder pillar page.
Clinical overview
- PTSD develops after a qualifying trauma and often shows up as a mix of reliving, avoidance, emotional constriction, negative beliefs, hypervigilance, and a nervous system that no longer seems able to stand down.
- Exposure first: The first question is always whether the trauma exposure actually meets diagnostic threshold, whether direct, witnessed, learned about, or repeatedly encountered in professional work.
- Four symptom clusters: Once exposure is established, it helps to organize the picture into intrusion, avoidance, negative mood-cognition changes, and arousal-reactivity symptoms.
- Function matters: The symptoms have to matter clinically. They should be causing distress, impairment, or both, and not be better explained by substances or medical illness.