Page 38 - Total War on PTSD

ambushes, etc. Besides being in potential danger 24/7, combat Veterans often bear witness to fellow service members and local nationals being severely or mortally injured. The level of fear, horror, and helplessness that can occur with both these direct and indirect threats can be equally impactful.
PTSD is considered an anxiety disorder and there are very specific criteria that need to be met for an individual to be diagnosed with this disorder. First, we will go over the formal criteria according to the DSM-5 and afterward look at the symptoms may manifest in the combat Veteran’s actual life upon returning home. According to the DSM-5, there are eight clusters of symptoms that must be present for an individual to be diagnosed with PTSD. For the purpose of this book, we will primarily focus on PTSD in adults. The criteria is as follows:
A. "Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence in one (or more) of the following ways:
1) Directly experiencing the traumatic event(s)
2) Witnessing, in person, the event(s) as it occurred to others
3) Learning that the traumatic event(s) occurred to a close family member or close friend. In cases of actual or threatened death of a family member or friend, the event(s) must have been violent or accidental
4) Experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event(s) i.e., first responders such as police officers and firemen
B. Presence of one (or more) of the following intrusion symptoms associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning after the traumatic event(s) occurred:
1) Recurrent, involuntary and intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic event(s)
2) Recurrent distressing dreams in which the content and/or effect of the dream are related to the traumatic event(s)
3) Dissociative reactions (e.g. flashbacks) in which the individual feels or acts as if the traumatic event(s) were recurring
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