How to Talk to Your Doctor About Trauma and PTSD
How can you prepare for a helpful conversation with your doctor about trauma and possible PTSD symptoms as a veteran?
This guide is for veterans who wonder whether past trauma may still be affecting them now. In this national study, PTSD was common among veterans, and the traumatic event tied most often to symptoms was often not combat but things like the sudden death of someone close, serious illness or injury, or seeing someone badly hurt or killed.
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Write down the trauma you think affects you most
Before your visit, think about the event that feels most upsetting or stays with you the most. It may be related to combat, military service, sexual trauma, loss, illness, injury, or something you witnessed, and all of these can matter.
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List the symptoms you notice
Write down any symptoms that have been bothering you, such as unwanted memories, nightmares, feeling on edge, avoiding reminders, sleep problems, or feeling numb or disconnected. Bring a few real examples so your doctor can better understand what daily life has been like for you.
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Mention if you have had more than one trauma
If you have gone through several different traumatic events, tell your doctor that too. This study found that a higher total trauma burden was linked with worse day-to-day functioning, even beyond PTSD symptoms alone.
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Describe how it affects your daily life
Tell your doctor how these experiences may be affecting work, family life, sleep, concentration, relationships, or basic tasks. That is important because the study found that veterans with current PTSD symptoms had much more trouble with daily functioning.
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Ask for an evaluation
You can say, I am a veteran and I think past trauma may still be affecting me. Can we talk about whether I should be evaluated for PTSD or related problems and what support might help?
Clinical Considerations
- If you feel unsafe, are thinking about harming yourself, or feel like you may hurt someone else, get emergency help right away or contact your doctor immediately.
- You do not have to wait for a combat-related trauma to bring this up with your doctor, because noncombat events can also be linked to PTSD symptoms.
- Do not change or stop any medicines on your own based on symptoms or screening results.
Bottom Line
Bringing up trauma and PTSD with your doctor is a strong first step toward getting the right support.
