Quick Definition
Post-traumatic stress symptoms are reactions that can persist after a frightening or overwhelming event. They generally fall into four clusters: intrusive memories, avoidance of reminders, emotional numbing and negative changes in mood, and hypervigilance. Having some of these symptoms is common after a difficult event and does not on its own mean you have PTSD.
What This Quiz Measures
This quiz screens for the presence of symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress. It cannot diagnose PTSD and is not designed to. What it can do is give you a clearer picture of which clusters of symptoms are present for you and how much they are affecting your daily life, which is often useful information to bring to a conversation with a professional.
The questions cover intrusion symptoms such as unwanted memories, avoidance of situations that act as reminders, emotional numbing, hypervigilance, and impact on daily functioning. These four clusters mirror how post-traumatic stress is described clinically. Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health indicate that around 3.6 percent of US adults experienced PTSD in the past year and about 6.8 percent will experience it at some point in their lives.
What Your Result Means
Your result places you in one of four bands, from few PTSD-related symptoms through some and moderate to significant. These bands describe how many symptoms you reported and how much they are affecting you. They are not diagnostic thresholds. A result in the higher bands is a reason to talk to a qualified professional rather than a conclusion about what you have, and effective, well evidenced treatments for post-traumatic stress do exist.
Common Questions
Can this quiz diagnose PTSD?
No. This quiz screens for the presence of symptoms and cannot diagnose anything. PTSD is diagnosed by a qualified mental health professional through clinical assessment, which considers your history, the nature of the event, symptom duration, and impact in ways a self-report quiz cannot.
What are the four symptom clusters of PTSD?
The four clusters are intrusion, meaning unwanted memories, flashbacks, or nightmares; avoidance of people, places, or thoughts that act as reminders; negative changes in mood and thinking, including emotional numbing; and hyperarousal, meaning hypervigilance, being easily startled, and difficulty sleeping.
How common is PTSD?
Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health indicate that around 3.6 percent of US adults had PTSD in the past year and about 6.8 percent will experience it at some point in their lives. Many more people experience some post-traumatic symptoms after a difficult event without developing the full disorder.
Is it normal to have some symptoms after a difficult event?
Yes. Intrusive memories, heightened alertness, and avoidance are common in the weeks following a frightening or overwhelming experience, and for many people they subside on their own. Symptoms that persist for more than a month and interfere with daily life are the ones worth discussing with a professional.
Is PTSD treatable?
Yes. Post-traumatic stress responds well to established treatments, particularly trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapies, which have the strongest evidence base. If your result suggests significant symptoms, speaking to a qualified professional is a genuinely useful next step rather than a last resort.