Free trauma test: a quick PTSD self-check (PC-PTSD-5)

Something frightening or overwhelming happened, and since then you haven’t felt like yourself. Maybe you have nightmares, avoid reminders, feel constantly on edge or feel numb. You might be wondering whether it’s trauma, or PTSD.

This page includes a free, five-question self-check you can do in a minute, plus what your answers might mean and where to go next.

Take care of yourself as you read. Some of the questions ask about difficult experiences. You can stop at any point. If you’re in crisis or thinking about ending your life, call or text 988 (US) now. Veterans can dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255.

About this self-check

The Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) was developed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD to help doctors spot people who might have PTSD. It’s short and widely used.

It is a screen, not a diagnosis. Only a qualified professional can diagnose PTSD, after a fuller conversation.

The questions

First, the screen asks:

Sometimes things happen to people that are unusually or especially frightening, horrible, or traumatic. For example: a serious accident or fire; a physical or sexual assault or abuse; an earthquake or flood; a war; seeing someone be killed or seriously injured; having a loved one die through homicide or suicide.

Have you ever experienced this kind of event? Yes / No

If your answer is no, your score is 0, and the screen stops here.

If your answer is yes, answer these five questions. In the past month, have you…

1. Had nightmares about the event(s) or thought about the event(s) when you did not want to? Yes / No
2. Tried hard not to think about the event(s) or went out of your way to avoid situations that reminded you of the event(s)? Yes / No
3. Been constantly on guard, watchful, or easily startled? Yes / No
4. Felt numb or detached from people, activities, or your surroundings? Yes / No
5. Felt guilty or unable to stop blaming yourself or others for the event(s) or any problems the event(s) may have caused? Yes / No

Scoring

Count your yes answers to the five questions. Your score is between 0 and 5.

• In research with US veterans in primary care, a score of 4 or more best balanced missing people with PTSD against flagging people without it.
• For women, a cut-off of 4 missed many people who did have PTSD, so the VA notes a lower score, like 3, may be more appropriate.
• Any yes answer is worth taking seriously if it’s causing you distress.

What your score might mean

A score of 3 or more: it would be a good idea to talk to a doctor or mental health professional about how you’ve been feeling. They can do a fuller assessment.

A lower score, but you’re struggling: you don’t need a certain score to deserve support. Trauma can affect people in many ways, including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, sleep problems and drinking more.

Common reactions after trauma

In the days and weeks after a frightening event, it’s very common to:

• keep replaying what happened, or have upsetting dreams
• feel jumpy, on edge or easily startled
• have trouble sleeping or concentrating
• feel numb, detached or unreal
• feel guilt, shame or anger
• avoid reminders of what happened

For many people, these reactions ease over the following weeks, especially with support. If they last more than a month, get worse or get in the way of your life, it may be post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Treatment works

PTSD is very treatable. Effective options include:

• Trauma-focused therapies, like cognitive processing therapy (CPT), prolonged exposure (PE), trauma-focused CBT and EMDR. They help you process what happened so it stops feeling as if it’s still happening.
• Medicine, such as certain antidepressants, which can help with symptoms.

Many people see real improvement within a few months of starting therapy.

Looking after yourself in the meantime

• Keep a routine: regular meals, sleep and some movement.
• Ground yourself when memories or feelings overwhelm you: name things you can see, hold something cold, feel your feet on the floor.
• Go easy on alcohol and other drugs, which can make sleep and mood worse.
• Lean on people you trust, even if you don’t want to talk about what happened.
• Be patient with yourself. Your reactions are a normal response to something abnormal.

Where to get support

• In a crisis: call or text 988 (US). Veterans: dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255.
• After sexual assault: RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline, 800-656-HOPE (4673), or chat at hotline.rainn.org, free and confidential, 24/7.
• Domestic violence: the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788.
• Your doctor, who can refer you for assessment and therapy.
• In an emergency, call 911.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a PTSD test?

It’s a screening tool, not a diagnostic test. It can suggest whether it would help to talk to a professional about PTSD. A diagnosis needs a fuller assessment.

Can I have trauma without PTSD?

Yes. Many people experience trauma and recover without developing PTSD. Others develop different problems, like depression, anxiety or panic attacks. If you’re struggling after a difficult experience, support helps, whatever the label.

What if I didn’t experience one big event?

Some people have been affected by repeated or long-term difficult experiences, like ongoing abuse or neglect, rather than one event. That can have a deep impact too. A professional can help you make sense of it.

How long after trauma can PTSD start?

Symptoms often start within the first few months, but sometimes appear much later, even years afterwards, for example after a new stressful event or a reminder.

How Breatheasy can help

When memories or feelings become overwhelming, Breatheasy can help you come back to the present. Tap “I’m feeling anxious” and Luma walks you through slow breathing and 5-4-3-2-1 grounding, with your phone pulsing gently in your hand. Crisis help and an emergency contact are always one tap away. Breatheasy isn’t a treatment for PTSD, but it can support you alongside therapy. Breatheasy is coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Sources

• Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5), National Center for PTSD, US Department of Veterans Affairs
• The Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5): development and evaluation within a veteran primary care sample, Prins and others, Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2016
• PTSD basics, National Center for PTSD
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), NHS
• Veterans Crisis Line
• National Domestic Violence Hotline