Are Flashbacks Required To Have Ptsd?

[Sunny6]

Do you need visual flashbacks and/or nightmares to be dx'ed with PTSD?

 

[Silver.]

Not necessarily, this is a basic rundown of diagnosing PTSD:

Diagnosis of PTSD requires exposure to an event that involved or held the threat of death, violence or serious injury. Your exposure can happen in one or more of these ways:

• You experienced the traumatic event
• You witnessed, in person, the traumatic event
• You learned someone close to you experienced or was threatened by the traumatic event
• You are repeatedly exposed to graphic details of traumatic events (for example, if you are a first responder to the scene of traumatic events)

You experience one or more of the following signs or symptoms after the traumatic event:

• You relive experiences of the traumatic event, such as having distressing images and memories.
• You have upsetting dreams about the traumatic event.
• You experience flashbacks as if you were experiencing the traumatic event again.
• You experience ongoing or severe emotional distress or physical symptoms if something reminds you of the traumatic event.

In addition, for more than one month after the traumatic event you may:

• Try to avoid situations or things that remind you of the traumatic event
• Not remember important parts of the traumatic event
• View yourself, others and the world in a negative way
• Lose interest in activities you used to enjoy and feel detached from family and friends
• Feel a sense of emotional numbness, feel irritable or have angry or violent outbursts
• Engage in dangerous or self-destructive behavior
• Feel as if you're constantly on guard or alert for signs of danger and startle easily
• Have trouble sleeping or concentrating

If you haven't been diagnosed, and think that some of these apply to you, I would definitely recommend talking to your pcp to set you on the right direction to finding a diagnosis and finding a path to healing. I hope this helped x

 

[EveHarrington]

In a word, no.

 

[Sandstone]

No - I was diagnosed by several Psychiatrists and Psychologists without flashbacks. Why do you ask?

 

[Truthful_Whispers]

No, not in my experience. I don't have flashbacks, at least consciously, because my memories are locked.

 

[Panda Bear]

If you don't, enjoy the freedom(from this one thing at least).....

 

[Sunny6]

Not necessarily, this is a basic rundown of diagnosing PTSD:

Diagnosis of PTSD requires exposure to...

Thank you very much for your answer! I have been diagnosed with PTSD. I asked on here b/c a friend had asked me this while believing they had PTSD and I wasn't too sure. This definitely clarifies though thank you.

 

[sun seeker]

There are different kinds of flashbacks. The most common ones people are referring to when they use the term are visual flashbacks. I never have those. I have visual memories, but not visual flashbacks. My flashbacks are a combination of emotional and somatic (body sensations and movement relating to the trauma).

 

[Chem Lady]

Not necessarily, this is a basic rundown of diagnosing PTSD:

Diagnosis of PTSD requires exposure to...

Could I get your source for this information? I think my info is old...

 

[joeylittle]

@Chem Lady - here you go: https://www.myptsd.com/threads/ptsd-diagnosis.87466/

It's all useful; head for the bottom for the current DSM criteria.

 

[Glo809]

Greetings, my intro msg tells how I arrived at this site.

This format works well for me, and this subject is important to me.

I work overnights, so yesterday when I was getting ready for work, I stopped what I was doing and stared at the carpet, but in my mind I was reliving part of a very stressful event in my life.

This event happened in the early 80's.

What I fear is if the really bad stuff makes an appearance?

Glo

.

 

[Glo809]

Greetings to all.

Air Florida flight 90
It crashed into the river just after take off from Wash National Airport in the early 80's.

I was there the next morning, now I can talk about the event no issues.

However there are other parts that are not worth rembering, until now.

I'm not liking this one bit! No I am not!

G