What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV, a person can be diagnosed with PTSD when he/she has: A. Exposure to a traumatic event B. Persistent reexperience (e.g. flashbacks, nightmares) C. Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma (e.g. inability to talk about things even related to the experience, avoidance of things and discussions that trigger flashbacks and reexperiencing symptoms fear of losing control) D. Persistent symptoms of increased arousal (e.g. …