Trauma & Stress-Related Disorders
Trauma can change how safe the world feels. With the right care, the mind and body can settle again.
This information is educational and is not a diagnosis. Diagnosis requires a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation.
If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.
What it is
Trauma- and stressor-related disorders are conditions that develop after a person goes through, witnesses or learns about a frightening, threatening or overwhelming event, or after a major life stressor. Many people have strong reactions after a trauma and recover with time and support. When reactions are intense, last, or begin to shape daily life, it may be a sign of a condition that responds well to treatment.
Trauma can come from a single event, such as an accident, assault, disaster or sudden loss, or from repeated experiences, such as abuse, combat or work as a first responder. Your response is not a sign of weakness. It reflects how the brain and body adapt to danger.
Diagnostic features (DSM-5-TR)
A plain-language summary of key features described in the DSM-5-TR. This is not the official criteria text and is not a self-diagnosis tool.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence: experienced directly, witnessed, learned about happening to a close family member or friend, or through repeated exposure to distressing details (for example, in first-responder work).
- Symptoms in four groups: intrusive memories, nightmares or flashbacks; avoidance of reminders; negative changes in thoughts and mood (such as blame, detachment or persistent fear, guilt or shame); and changes in arousal and reactivity (such as irritability, hypervigilance, startle, poor sleep or concentration).
- Symptoms last more than one month and cause significant distress or difficulty functioning, and are not due to a substance or another medical condition.
- Symptoms may first meet full criteria months after the event ("with delayed expression"), and some people experience dissociation such as feeling unreal or detached. Separate criteria are used for children 6 and younger.
Acute Stress Disorder
- Follows the same type of traumatic exposure as PTSD.
- Several symptoms of intrusion, negative mood, dissociation, avoidance and arousal are present.
- Lasts from 3 days up to 1 month after the trauma. If symptoms continue beyond a month, PTSD is considered.
Adjustment Disorders
- Emotional or behavioral symptoms begin within 3 months of an identifiable stressor, such as a breakup, job loss, illness, move or family change.
- The distress is out of proportion to the stressor (considering culture and context), or it significantly affects relationships, work or school.
- Symptoms do not meet criteria for another mental disorder and are not normal grief.
- Symptoms resolve within 6 months after the stressor or its consequences end. Types include with depressed mood, with anxiety, with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, and with disturbance of conduct.
Common signs
- Unwanted memories, flashbacks or nightmares
- Avoiding people, places or conversations that bring back the event
- Feeling on edge, easily startled or always on guard
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Irritability or angry outbursts
- Feeling numb, detached or distant from others
- Persistent guilt, shame or self-blame
- Difficulty concentrating
- Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
How it's evaluated
A trauma-informed evaluation moves at your pace. You never have to share details before you are ready. I will ask about current symptoms, sleep, mood, safety, substance use, physical health and how the experience affects your daily life.
Validated tools such as the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) may be used to measure symptoms and track progress over time. I also look for conditions that commonly occur alongside trauma, such as depression, anxiety and substance use.
Evidence-based treatment options
Trauma-focused psychotherapy
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) are recommended first-line treatments for PTSD in the VA/DoD clinical practice guideline.
Medication
Sertraline, paroxetine, fluoxetine and venlafaxine are the medications recommended for PTSD in the VA/DoD guideline. Medication can be used alone or alongside psychotherapy.
Careful prescribing
The VA/DoD guideline recommends against benzodiazepines for PTSD. Sleep and nightmares are addressed directly as part of the plan.
Support for adjustment and acute stress
Brief, focused psychotherapy, stress-management skills and attention to sleep and support systems are commonly used. Symptoms are monitored to see whether they resolve or need further treatment.
How I can help
I am a trauma survivor myself, and I bring that understanding into every visit. My role is to complete a thorough psychiatric evaluation, clarify the diagnosis, and build a treatment plan with you that addresses symptoms like sleep disruption, anxiety, depression and hypervigilance.
When medication is appropriate, I will explain the options, benefits, risks and side effects so we can decide together. I also help connect you with trauma-focused psychotherapy and coordinate with your therapist, so your care works as a team.
Insight
Avoidance can bring short-term relief, but over time it tends to keep trauma symptoms going. Evidence-based treatment helps you approach memories and reminders safely, at a pace that feels manageable.
Sources
- American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., text rev.).
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD: PTSD Basics
- VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of PTSD and Acute Stress Disorder (2023)
- NICE guideline NG116: Post-traumatic stress disorder
Heal • Grow • Thrive
Ready When You Are.
Putting your mental health first is a strength. It is okay to ask for help.