Childhood Is This Trauma?

[living_on_hope]

I have a friend who had gone through a parent separation and has been caught in the middle of some brutal verbal fights. He thinks he may be experiencing PTSD symptoms. My trauma was sexual assault so I'm not very educated in this side of trauma. This all happened a long time ago when he was still a minor.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Well, to be diagnosed with PTSD, once must have had one or more Criteria A event;

"Criterion A: Traumatic event
Trauma survivors must have been exposed to actual or threatened:

• death
• serious injury
• sexual violence

The exposure can be:

• direct
• witnessed
• indirect, by hearing of a relative or close friend who has experienced the event—indirectly experienced death must be accidental or violent
• repeated or extreme indirect exposure to qualifying events, usually by professionals—non-professional exposure by media does not count"

http://psychcentral.com/lib/symptoms-and-diagnosis-of-ptsd/ (but i believe that directly from the DSM 5, was just the first site I got to on google).

In my opinion, which isnt fact and im not a therapist, it would depend on how bad the verbal abuse was and was it directed at the minor? Did they fear for their saftey? Etc.

Im not going to say they do or dont have PTSD but vebal abuse can be a trauma or it may not be all depending on how severe it was and where it was directed and then whether the trauma leads to PTSD is another thing all by itself.

 

[living_on_hope]

Well, to be diagnosed with PTSD, once must have had one or more Criteria A event;

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He says that he did fear for his safety. I agree with you and that it is hard to say.

 

[prayingforpeace]

I found great info on NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health). There is a section on "how do I know if I have PTSD"

There are can be many different causes but I think the best way to know is for that person to review the list on the above or any good site. There may be one on here as well. idk. I wish your friend the best and hope he gets help if he thinks he may have it. Sorry if I didn't help you...

 

[lostforgottensoul]

The only way to know is to get diagnosed by a clinician. Its not good to self diagnose anything but most especially mental disorders.