TRAUMA Mnemonic for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms T - Traumatic Experience - A Traumatic event occurred in which the person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted by actual or threatened serious injury, death, or threat to the physical integrity of self or other and, as a response to such trauma, the person experienced intense helplessness, fear, and horror R - Re-experiencing Symptoms - The person Reexperiences such traumatic events by intrusive thoughts, nightmares, flashbacks, or recollection of traumatic memories and images. A - Avoidance Symptoms - Avoidance and emotional numbing emerge, expressed as detachment from others; flattening of affect; loss of interest; lack of motivation; and persistent avoidance of activity, places, persons, or events associated with the traumatic experience U - Unable to Function (Impairment) - Symptoms are distressing and cause significant impairment in social, occupational, and interpersonal functioning (patients are Unable to function) M - Month - These symptoms last more than 1 Month A - Arousal Symptoms - The person has increased Arousal, usually manifested by startle reaction, poor concentration, irritable mood, insomnia, and hypervigilance Khouzam HR. A simple mnemonic for the diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder. West J Med. 2001 Jun;174(6):424. doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/ewjm.174.6. #TRAUMA #PTSD #Mnemonic #Diagnosis #PostTraumatic #Traumatic #Psychiatry
