Do I Have PTSD? Quiz

PTSD Test in San Diego

Welcome to Monima Wellness, a dedicated women’s mental health and trauma treatment center based in San Diego. At Monima Wellness, we understand the profound impact trauma and mental health issues can have on your life, and we are committed to providing compassionate and comprehensive care to those who need it.

This resource is designed to help you determine if you might be experiencing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) through our “Do I Have PTSD Quiz”.

If you or a loved one is experiencing distressing symptoms after a traumatic event or are looking to gain clarity on a mental health diagnosis, contact Monima Wellness or visit our site for more information about psychological testing in San Diego.

understanding ptsd in san diego

Understanding PTSD

Post-traumatic sress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition triggered by exposure to a traumatic event. This could be a direct experience or witnessing a distressing event. PTSD is characterized by intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to the experience that last long after the event has ended. People with PTSD may experience flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

While it is common to have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping after a trauma, for some, these reactions worsen and can last for months or even years, significantly interfering with daily functioning. This extended and severe response may be a sign of PTSD. According to the National Center for PTSD of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, about 6% to 9% of the general population will develop PTSD at some point in their lives, highlighting the critical need for awareness and access to effective treatment.

Take the “Do I Have PTSD?” Quiz (PCL-5)

While the full PCL-5 assessment is detailed and should ideally be conducted by a healthcare professional, our version below can help you begin to explore your symptoms. This quiz is not a diagnostic tool, but it can be a useful first step in identifying the presence of PTSD-related symptoms and deciding to seek professional help.

What is the PCL-5 Assessment for PTSD

This quiz is based on the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), a reliable and standardized self-report rating scale for assessing the presence and severity of PTSD symptoms. Items on the PCL-5 correspond directly to the DSM-5 criteria for PTSD. Completing this checklist may help you understand your own mental health better and decide whether you should seek a professional evaluation. 

How Does the PCL-5 Work?

The PCL-5 consists of 20 items rated on a scale from 0 (Not at all) to 4 (Extremely). This scale helps individuals assess how much they’ve been bothered by a problem. The results can provide insights into the severity of symptoms and can indicate whether professional help should be considered.

Why Use the PCL-5?

Completing the PCL-5 can help you:

  • Understand the specific symptoms you’re experiencing and their intensity
  • Recognize the impact of symptoms on daily life
  • Determine when to seek professional evaluation and support
pcl-5 test

Interpreting Your Results

If you find that your answers indicate frequent or severe symptoms, it might be advisable to seek a professional evaluation.

Remember, a high score on this quiz suggests the presence of PTSD symptoms, but only a qualified mental health professional can diagnose PTSD. If you or a loved one is grappling with symptoms following a traumatic experience, help is available. Contact Monima Wellness today to learn more about our trauma treatment programs.

Common Symptoms of PTSD

Understanding the symptoms of PTSD is crucial for recognition and seeking help. Symptoms are generally grouped into four types:

1. Re-experiencing Symptoms

  • Flashbacks: Reliving the trauma over and over, including physical symptoms like a racing heart or sweating
  • Nightmares: Frequent, distressing dreams related to the traumatic events
  • Intrusive Thoughts: Recurrent, unwanted memories of the trauma

2. Avoidance Symptoms

  • Avoiding Reminders: Deliberately avoiding places, events, people, or objects that trigger memories of the trauma
  • Emotional Numbing: Steering clear of thoughts or feelings connected to the traumatic event

3. Arousal and Reactivity Symptoms

  • On Edge: Experiencing excessive emotions; problems with sleeping, irritability, or having angry outbursts
  • Hypervigilance: Feeling tense, on guard, and constantly alert for danger

4. Cognition and Mood Symptoms

  • Memory Issues: Trouble remembering key features of the traumatic event
  • Negative Thoughts: Ongoing negative thoughts about oneself or the world
  • Distorted Feelings: Misplaced guilt or blame related to the event
  • Loss of Interest: Decreased interest in significant activities

These reactions can be disruptive and significantly impair one’s ability to function in daily life. They may occur in response to specific stressors or triggers, but in some cases, they may arise unexpectedly without a clear cause. It’s important to note that the presence and intensity of these symptoms can vary widely among individuals. For some, anxiety may be a nagging worry that’s always in the background, while for others, it may lead to panic attacks or severe physical symptoms. 

If you or a loved one is concerned about recurring symptoms of anxiety, contact Monima Wellness today. Let us guide you on your journey to mental wellness in San Diego. 

What Is PTSD?

Common Causes of PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop after exposure to any event that a person finds traumatic. The type of events that can lead to PTSD include, but are not limited to:

  • Natural Disasters: Such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods. Studies and recent data indicate that approximately 20% of disaster survivors will experience PTSD.
  • Near-death Experiences: Including severe accidents or life-threatening medical situations.
  • Mass Violence: Events like terrorist attacks or shootings, which can have a profound and lasting impact on mental health.
  • Physical Violence or Abuse: This includes being a victim of or witness to physical assaults, domestic violence, or sexual abuse.
  • Serious Medical Events: Such as receiving a life-altering diagnosis or undergoing major surgery, which can sometimes trigger PTSD symptoms.

How PTSD Manifests

Individuals living with PTSD often experience an elevated “fight, flight, or freeze” response. This heightened state of alertness is a natural response to perceived threats and can be triggered by various stimuli that recall the traumatic event:

  • Loud Noises: Such as gunshots or shouting, which may remind someone of the traumatic event.
  • Specific Locations: Returning to a place or being in a similar environment where the trauma occurred, like a childhood bedroom that was the scene of abuse.
  • Situations That Replicate Feelings of Past Dangers: Such as being alone in an apartment, can evoke feelings of unsafety and helplessness similar to those experienced during the original traumatic event.

Understanding these triggers is crucial for both those experiencing PTSD and their loved ones, as it can help in managing or avoiding situations that exacerbate the condition.

How Monima Wellness Can Help

At Monima Wellness, we specialize in the treatment of trauma and mental health issues for women in San Diego. We offer a supportive and healing environment where you can receive therapy tailored to your specific needs. Our team of experienced therapists uses evidence-based approaches to help you manage and overcome your symptoms.

Services Offered

With extensive expertise in trauma treatment, some of the services and modalities we offer include, but are not limited to:

  • Individual therapy
  • Group therapy
  • Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy
  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
  • Somatic Experiencing (SE) Therapy
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

If you think you may be suffering from PTSD, the first step is acknowledging that you might need help. Contact Monima Wellness to schedule a consultation or visit our website to learn more about our approach to treating trauma and PTSD. Our skilled therapists are here to support you through your healing journey, offering guidance and care tailored to your unique situation.

Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength. Let Monima Wellness be a part of your path to recovery.

Ready to Start Your Journey?

If you think you may be suffering from PTSD, the first step is acknowledging that you might need help.
Contact Monima Wellness AT 858-500-1542 to schedule a consultation. 

FAQs

No, self-diagnosing PTSD is not recommended. PTSD is a complex psychological condition that requires a formal diagnosis by a trained mental health professional. Professionals use specific diagnostic tools and interviews to accurately diagnose PTSD, ensuring that the correct treatment and support are provided.

The main signs of PTSD are typically categorized into four types:

  • Intrusion Symptoms: such as recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic event, flashbacks, and nightmares.
  • Avoidance: efforts to avoid distressing memories, thoughts, feelings, or external reminders of the traumatic event.
  • Negative Changes in Thinking and Mood: this can include feelings of detachment or estrangement from others, persistent negative emotional states (e.g., fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame), or a persistent inability to experience positive emotions.
  • Changes in Arousal and Reactivity: marked by aggressive, reckless, or self-destructive behavior, sleep disturbances, hyper-vigilance, or related symptoms.
  • Flashbacks: Reliving the trauma repeatedly, including physical symptoms like sweating or a racing heart.
  • Avoidance: Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the traumatic experience.
  • Nightmares: Disturbing dreams related to the traumatic event.
  • Emotional Numbing: Feeling detached or unable to connect with loved ones.
  • Increased Irritability: Including angry outbursts or aggressive behavior.
  • Hypervigilance: Excessive awareness of one’s surroundings in a way that is not typical.
  • Concentration Problems: Difficulty in focusing on tasks at work or routine activities.

Recognizing PTSD in oneself can be challenging. If you frequently experience distressing symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, or uncontrollable thoughts about a traumatic event that happened to you, it may be indicative of PTSD. 

However, only a mental health professional can provide a diagnosis after a thorough assessment. If you suspect you have PTSD, schedule a consultation with Monima Wellness to start your path to clarity and recovery.

Call us at 858-500-1542.

Confirming a diagnosis of PTSD is done through a detailed evaluation by a mental health professional. This includes a comprehensive interview, use of standardized PTSD assessment tools (like the PCL-5), and sometimes a discussion about your medical history. The professional will determine whether your symptoms meet the criteria outlined in the DSM-5 for PTSD.

Get a definitive diagnosis: Contact Monima Wellness to undergo a professional mental health evaluation today.

Call us at 858-500-1542.

The 17-question test commonly referred to in discussions about PTSD is likely the PTSD Checklist (PCL), specifically its earlier version aligned with DSM-IV criteria. This version included 17 items assessing the key symptoms of PTSD. However, the newer PCL-5, aligned with DSM-5 criteria, contains 20 items. Both versions are self-report rating scales where individuals rate the severity of their symptoms related to PTSD.

Get a definitive diagnosis: Contact Monima Wellness to undergo a professional mental health evaluation today.

Call us at 858-500-1542.

  1. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2021, March). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In StatPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559129/
  2. Kessler RC, Aguilar-Gaxiola S, Alonso J, Benjet C, Bromet EJ, Cardoso G, Degenhardt L, de Girolamo G, Dinolova RV, Ferry F, Florescu S, Gureje O, Haro JM, Huang Y, Karam EG, Kawakami N, Lee S, Lepine JP, Levinson D, Navarro-Mateu F, Pennell BE, Piazza M, Posada-Villa J, Scott KM, Stein DJ, Ten Have M, Torres Y, Viana MC, Petukhova MV, Sampson NA, Zaslavsky AM, Koenen KC. Trauma and PTSD in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2017 Oct 27;8(sup5):1353383. doi: 10.1080/20008198.2017.1353383. PMID: 29075426; PMCID: PMC5632781.
  3. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). How Common is PTSD in Adults? Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_adults.asp
  4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2015, April). Disaster Behavioral Health Approaches to Community Response and Recovery. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/dtac-disaster-behavioral-health-approaches-to-community-response-recovery.pdf