Baseer Maroof, LCSW · Raleigh, NC · Adults 21+
Symptoms & self-check
PTSD has a specific shape. Here are its four clusters, and a private way to see how your own experience lines up.
In short
- PTSD starts with exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence: directly, as a witness, through someone close, or repeatedly through work.
- Then four clusters: at least 1 intrusion symptom, 1 avoidance, 2 changes in thoughts and mood, and 2 arousal symptoms.
- They last more than a month and cause distress or get in the way of life.
- The self-check below mirrors that structure. It’s for learning, not diagnosis.
The basicsWhat helpsHow it worksEvidenceCheck with a doctor
The clusters
The clusters
Tap a cluster. Paraphrased from the DSM-5-TR criteria as summarised by the National Center for PTSD.
Self-check
Education self-check
Think of the experience that bothers you most. For the past month, how much has each of these bothered you? Tap 0 to 4.
Not saved, not sent. Items are written in plain language for this page; this is not the PCL-5. A clinician can give you the real measure.
Sources
All sources, linked4 references⌄
- National Center for PTSD. PTSD and DSM-5. www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/essentials/dsm5_ptsd.asp
- National Center for PTSD. PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/assessment/adult-sr/ptsd-checklist.asp
- National Center for PTSD. Complex PTSD: Assessment and Treatment. www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/txessentials/complex_ptsd_assessment.asp
- National Center for PTSD. Acute Stress Disorder. www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/essentials/acute_stress_disorder.asp
Related on this site