PTSD test (PC-PTSD-5): a private 2-minute self-check after a frightening event

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after a very frightening or horrible event. People with PTSD may relive the event through unwanted memories or nightmares, avoid reminders of it, and feel constantly on guard. Many people have strong reactions after such an event and recover with time and support; PTSD is when the reactions continue and cause distress or problems in daily life. According to the World Health Organization, about 3.9% of people worldwide have had PTSD at some point in their lives.⁴

The PC-PTSD-5 starts with one question: have you ever experienced this kind of event? It never asks what happened. Five yes/no questions then ask about the past month:²

• unwanted memories or nightmares about the event;
• trying hard not to think about it, or avoiding reminders;
• being constantly on guard, watchful or easily startled;
• feeling numb or detached from people, activities or your surroundings;
• feeling guilty, or unable to stop blaming yourself or others.

You never have to type or describe anything, and you can stop at any time.

If you answer “No” to the first question, the screen total is 0. If you answer “Yes”, the result depends on how many of the five questions about the past month you answer “Yes”, from 0 to 5.²

This page uses a threshold of 3, as the U.S. National Center for PTSD does on its public self-screen.³ In research with primary care patients, a threshold of 4 balanced missed cases and false alarms best overall, but it missed too many cases among women.² The lower threshold of 3 picks up more people who may need an assessment, at the cost of more false alarms.

If you answer “No” to the first question, you may still see the other five questions; your answers to them do not change the result.

A result of 3 or more suggests that the event may still be affecting you in ways that are common in PTSD. It does not always mean PTSD: some of these symptoms overlap with depression, anxiety and other problems, which need different help.³ Only a professional assessment can tell what is going on.

A result below 3 does not mean that what happened was not serious, or that your feelings do not matter. If memories, fear, anger, guilt or poor sleep keep troubling you, it is worth talking about, whatever the result.

Most people who go through a frightening event recover naturally, and support from family and friends after the event can help.⁴

These steps can help while you decide what to do next:

• Be patient with yourself. Strong reactions after a frightening event are understandable. They are not a sign of weakness.
• Keep a simple routine of meals, sleep, movement and time outdoors.
• Stay connected. Spend time with people you trust. You do not have to talk about the event unless you want to.
• Find what helps you feel calm, such as slow breathing, a quiet walk or music, and use it when memories come back.
• Go easy on alcohol and other substances. They can make sleep and mood worse.

Effective treatment exists. Trauma-focused talking therapies, such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing), have the strongest evidence for PTSD.⁴⁵

If you are still in an unsafe situation, such as violence at home, your safety comes first. In Bangladesh, the government’s One-Stop Crisis Centres and Cells offer women and children who have experienced violence health care, legal help and counselling in one place.⁶

Talk to a qualified professional — a BMDC-registered psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist — if:

• your result is 3 or more;
• the symptoms have lasted more than a month, or they affect sleep, work, study or relationships;
• you avoid places, people or activities because they remind you of what happened;
• you feel low, hopeless, very angry or numb much of the time;
• you use alcohol, sleeping pills or other substances to cope.

You decide how much you share about what happened, and when. It is fine to tell a professional that you are not ready to talk about it yet. Care is available in private practice and at public hospitals.

The Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) was developed by A. Prins and colleagues at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD, and first evaluated with veterans in primary care.¹ It is in the public domain and free to use. The National Center for PTSD notes that it is intended for use by qualified health professionals, so this page presents it as a first step towards a professional assessment, not as a diagnosis.²

The PC-PTSD-5 has an official Spanish translation but no Bangla version. We never translate a validated questionnaire ourselves, so our Bangla page shows the English questions. A Bangla version will be added only when a properly translated and tested version is available.