DSM-5 Criteria for PTSD · Direct exposure; Witnessing the trauma · Unwanted upsetting memories; Nightmares · Inability to recall key features of ...JumptonavigationSharethispageFacebookTwitterEmailPrintCommentMilitary&VeteransDSM-5CriteriaforPTSDNationalCenterforPTSD,U.S.DepartmentofVeteransAffairsRelatedContent: PTSDFactSheet:FrequentlyAskedQuestionsHowCanPTSDImpactSexualityandIntimacy?WhatAretheDifferencesBetweenPTSandPTSD?WhatIsHypervigilanceandHowDoesItRelatetoPTSD?HowTBIandPTSDAreTreatedNowinComparisontothePastTBIandPTSD:NavigatingthePerfectStormIsItEverTooLatetoGetTreatmentforPTSD?UnderstandingPTSDTreatmentIn2013,theAmericanPsychiatricAssociationrevisedthePTSDdiagnosticcriteriainthefiftheditionofitsDiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders(DSM-5)1.PTSDisincludedinanewcategoryinDSM-5,Trauma-andStressor-RelatedDisorders.Alloftheconditionsincludedinthisclassificationrequireexposuretoatraumaticorstressfuleventasadiagnosticcriterion.NotethatDSM-5introducedapreschoolsubtypeofPTSDforchildrenagessixyearsandyounger.Thecriteriabelowarespecifictoadults,adolescents,andchildrenolderthansixyears.AllofthecriteriaarerequiredforthediagnosisofPTSD.Thefollowingtextsummarizesthediagnosticcriteria:CriterionA:stressor(onerequired)Thepersonwasexposedto:death,threateneddeath,actualorthreatenedseriousinjury,oractualorthreatenedsexualviolence,inthefollowingway(s):DirectexposureWitnessingthetraumaLearningthatarelativeorclosefriendwasexposedtoatraumaIndirectexposuretoaversivedetailsofthetrauma,usuallyinthecourseofprofessionalduties(e.g.,firstresponders,medics)CriterionB:intrusionsymptoms(onerequired)Thetraumaticeventispersistentlyre-experiencedinthefollowingway(s):UnwantedupsettingmemoriesNightmaresFlashbacksEmotionaldistressafterexposuretotraumaticremindersPhysicalreactivityafterexposuretotraumaticremindersCriterionC:avoidance(onerequired)Avoidanceoftrauma-relatedstimuliafterthetrauma,inthefollowingway(s):Trauma-relatedthoughtsorfeelingsTrauma-relatedexternalremindersCriterionD:ne