PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder -

), in fact, occurs very often in the lives of many people, after events such as violent personal aggression, news of a life-threatening illness, natural or caused disasters, serious car accidents, etc.

For these individuals, often, there is only medical intervention, which is very useful, but not exhaustive, and drugs are the most popular solution.

We believe, instead, that the use of psychotherapy is useful and for this reason we report below the diagnostic criteria of the DSM V edition that anyone can use to identify post traumatic stress disorder with confidence and objectivity.

These criteria do not guarantee therapeutic results, but they are a useful descriptive means.

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Recurring unpleasant dreams (nightmares) of the event.
Note: Frightening dreams may be present in children with no recognizable content.

Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event is recurring (this includes feelings of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and dissociative flashback episodes, including those that occur upon awakening or intoxicated).
Note: Specific repetitive representations of trauma may occur in young children.

Intense psychological distress upon exposure to internal or external triggers that symbolize or resemble some aspect of the traumatic event;

Physiological responsiveness or exposure to internal or external triggers that symbolize or resemble some aspect of the traumatic event.

Criterion C for Diagnosis of PTSD: Avoidance

Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and attenuation of general responsiveness (not present before the trauma), as indicated by three (or more) of the following:

Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings or conversations associated with the trauma
Efforts to avoid activities, places or people that evoke memories of the trauma;
Inability to remember some important aspect of the trauma
Marked reduction of interest in or participation in significant activities;
Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others;
Reduced affect (eg, inability to have feelings of love);
Feelings of diminished future prospects (e.g., expecting not to be able to have a career, marriage or children, or a normal life span).

Criterion D for the Diagnosis of PTSD: Negative alteration of thoughts and mood

Changes in thinking or mood that begin or worsen after the traumatic event, as indicated by at least two of the following symptoms:

Inability to remember an important aspect of the trauma.
Overly negative and persistent thoughts and beliefs about oneself, others and the world;
The individual is incomplete of what happened due to a distorted vision of what are causes and consequences of the traumatic event;
Persistent negative emotional state (e.g. constant feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety, terror);
Decreased interest and participation in daily activities;
Detachment from others;
Persistent inability to feel positive emotions.