Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the DSM IV

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-IV, lists mental-health diseases and disorders to enable psychiatrists and other mental health workers to diagnose disease. After meeting the criteria, a diagnosis is given. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is one of the many disorders listed in its pages. Consulting it is the best way for a therapist to properly diagnose his or her patient.

The criteria for PTSD

The patient has to have experienced a traumatic event that endangered his or her life or mental health, or witnessed one that threatened the lives of another. The patient may experience overwhelming distress when confronted with the event. This may lead to reliving the event or feelings of anxiety and panic attacks. Thoughts of what happened intrude on daily life, and there is avoidance behavior. The patient takes steps to avoid anything that reminds him or her of what happened. There is often trouble falling or staying asleep, along with nightmares. Feelings are often numb and muted, and the person finds it harder to take enjoyment from the things that he or she once did. The symptoms must persist longer than one month in order to receive a diagnosis.

The DSM lists the symptoms that are a part of PTSD. The symptoms must persist for at least a month in order to receive a diagnosis. The main symptoms listed are reliving a traumatic event repeatedly once it is over, numbness, avoidance behavior and disturbances in sleep and functioning. When a doctor takes care to properly diagnose a patient, there is a chance to catch it early.