Frequently Asked Questions (and answers) for the Public
How can I tell if I have PTSD?
A lot of people contact us because they want to find a way to
determine for themselves whether they have PTSD. It is
understandable that a person would want to know why they are
feeling or acting a certain way. However, it's not really
possible to figure out on your own whether or not you have PTSD.
It's challenging even for skilled clinicians to know which
tool to use when trying to figure out whether a patient has PTSD.
They need to understand the thoughts and behaviors associated
with PTSD, they need to be able to select the best questionnaire,
and they need to know how to interpret the results that they get.
Because of all of these things, the American Psychological
Association suggests that questionnaires used to evaluate PTSD be
given only to people who have been trained in this process. If
you think you may have PTSD, we recommend that you talk to your
doctor or a mental health provider. See related readings for how
to find a therapist.
How can I find out if a particular mental health provider
can evaluate me for PTSD?
You can ask questions about the person's training and
experience. Some questions you might ask include:
What is your area of specialization?
Some
specialization is desirable, but not too much. For example, it is
common and appropriate for a provider to specialize in assessing
and treating adult survivors of recent traumas. But if a provider
specializes in a particular trauma that does not apply to you, he
or she may not have enough knowledge or experience in assessing
trauma survivors like you. Also, a provider who does not
specialize at all but says he or she can assess and treat any
type of trauma in children or adults may not have enough
expertise to do a good job on your assessment.
How many trauma assessments have you done?
Experience with at least 10 prior assessments is desirable.
What formal training have you had that will allow
you to evaluate me for PTSD
It is preferable for a
professional to have specific training in PTSD assessment rather
than in general assessment only.
Are you a member of any professional societies or
organizations related to traumatic stress?
It is a good
idea to look at the websites of any professional organizations
that a mental health professional mentions. This will give you
some idea of the way the professional works with patients who
have traumatic stress. Ask yourself if the activities of the
organization seem appropriate and important.
Can you tell me a little about how you assess
PTSD?
It is important that you feel comfortable with the
assessment methods that a provider will use. It is possible to
perform a good general assessment of PTSD without any specialized
equipment or techniques. It is common for providers to have you
fill out questionnaires or to use standardized interviews.)
Who can request a PTSD or trauma measure from the National
Center for PTSD?
The American Psychological Association requires that a person
have advanced graduate-level training before they can administer
and interpret tests. That is why we do not give measures to
people who do not hold at least a master's degree in a clinical
discipline. Graduate students must have a professor get the
measure for them, and these students must be supervised by the
professor while they use the measure.
I am trying to prove that I have PTSD. Can I use one of
these measures to help me do this?
Evidence that you have PTSD needs to be determined from the
results of a thorough PTSD evaluation given to you by a
professional. Any organization you might be dealing with will
need this. Therefore, it would be best for you to see a
health-care provider who has experience in this area.
If you are a veteran, go to http://www.vba.va.gov/benefit_facts/index.htm for fact sheets on how to submit a compensation claim for PTSD. Or call you local VA Medical Center to ask about benefits. Veterans Service Organizations (VSO's) also offer free guidance on completing claims.
What is the difference between an evaluation that measures
trauma exposure and an evaluation that measures PTSD?
Something that measures trauma exposure tries to figure out
whether you've experienced something that is considered a
traumatic event, such as combat, a car accident, or child sexual
abuse, for example. Sometimes the evaluation asks when these
events happened or how much the experience affected you. For
example, rather than just asking if you have experienced combat,
these measures might ask your age at the time of the experience
and whether you felt your life was in danger.
Something that measures PTSD tries to figure out whether you
felt certain things or acted in certain ways after you
experienced the traumatic event. Some evaluations also ask about
things like depression and relationship problems, even though
these things are not part of a PTSD diagnosis.
