PTSD
Also written as: PTSD — Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Abbreviation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a psychiatric condition that may develop after exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.
Full Definition
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a DSM-5-TR Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorder characterised by four symptom clusters: intrusion (e.g., flashbacks, nightmares), avoidance of trauma-related stimuli, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and marked alterations in arousal and reactivity. Editors will encounter PTSD across a wide range of document types including diagnostic evaluations, treatment plans, VA disability claims, and forensic reports. The acronym is always fully capitalised with no periods. Editors should note that 'Complex PTSD' (C-PTSD) is recognized in the ICD-11 but not as a separate diagnosis in DSM-5-TR; this distinction is significant in documents that reference both classification systems. The condition should never be abbreviated as 'PTSS' (post-traumatic stress symptoms) without contextual justification.
Usage
Usage note: Always fully capitalised, no periods. Expand on first use. Distinguish from Acute Stress Disorder (duration <1 month) and from C-PTSD (ICD-11 only). Do not use 'PTSS' as a synonym without justification.
In Context
- "The veteran's Compensation and Pension examination yielded a diagnosis of PTSD with a 70% disability rating." — VA Disability Examination Report
- "Editors should confirm whether a document references DSM-5-TR (which lists PTSD) or ICD-11 (which also lists Complex PTSD separately) before editing diagnostic terminology." — Editorial Guidance Note