PTSD Diagnosis & Symptoms
This page is informational, not a diagnosis. A licensed clinician can tell you whether what you're feeling meets criteria for PTSD — but here's what that criteria generally looks like, and what to do next.
The four symptom clusters
Clinicians generally look for symptoms across these four categories, present for more than a month, that are affecting daily life.
Intrusive memories
Unwanted memories, flashbacks, or nightmares tied to a specific call, deployment, or incident — showing up without warning.
Avoidance
Steering clear of people, places, assignments, or conversations that bring the memory back.
Negative shifts in mood or thinking
Persistent guilt, shame, or numbness; a changed sense of trust, safety, or who you are.
Changes in arousal & reactivity
Hypervigilance, a hair-trigger startle response, irritability, or trouble sleeping and concentrating.
Signs it may be time to talk to someone
- Symptoms have lasted more than a month and aren’t easing on their own
- Sleep, relationships, or job performance are being affected
- You’re using alcohol or substances to manage the symptoms
- You feel like you have to "handle it alone" because no one else would understand
None of these mean something is wrong with you. They mean your nervous system has been doing a hard job for a long time — and that it might be time for support built for exactly this.
Talk to someone who already understands the job.
A confidential call with admissions — no pressure, no obligation.