How does the VA determine eligibility for post traumatic stress disorder benefits?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is identified, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual when: a person has experienced a traumatic event "outside the usual range of human experience and that would be markedly disturbing to almost anyone"; the duration of symptoms disturbing the person last longer than 1 month; the disturbance causes distress to the point that it interrupts social, occupational and other important areas where normal function is impossible.

Symptoms include: persistently re-experiencing the traumatic event through recurring, intrusive, recollections of the disturbing event in the form of thoughts, images and perceptions; distressing dreams of the event; an intense feeling that the traumatic event is recurring - a feeling of reliving the experience in hallucinations or dissociative flashbacks.  Also, intense psychological distress when exposed to cues (internal or external) that resemble in some aspect the traumatic event. There are more symptoms including efforts to avoid thoughts and feeling connected to the trauma; inability to express feelings, or recall the event; diminished interest in things; detachment from others; difficulty falling or staying asleep; excessive anger; exaggerated startle response, etc.

The way in which a person will experience these symptoms will vary from person to person depending upon the own unique experience, but in general there are two main sources: memories the veteran experienced or witnessed of life threatening events, and the other what they did in order to survive these incidents. In order to receive Veterans Disability Benefits PTSD victims need to receive treatment.  Medical records and opinions from mental health professionals concluding that the individual is suffering from PTSD are the only way a veteran can obtain VA benefits. In any event, anyone suffering from this debilitating disorder should seek professional help.