Which of the following is a listed PTSD symptom for law enforcement officers?

• A. Sleep improvement
• B. Anxiety-free days
• C. Irritable or aggressive behavior, reckless or self-destructive behavior, problems with concentration, difficulty sleeping, depression, anxiety, flashbacks, and recurring nightmares.
• D. Increased physical strength

Answer: (C)

PTSD symptoms encompass re-experiencing traumatic events, negative changes in thoughts and mood, and increased arousal. For law enforcement officers, exposure to critical incidents can lead to persistent problems like intrusive memories or flashbacks, recurring nightmares, difficulty sleeping, irritability or aggressive behavior, recklessness or self-destructive acts, trouble concentrating, and mood symptoms such as depression or anxiety. The described combination directly reflects these symptom clusters and how they manifest in officers, tying real-world experiences to the recognized PTSD patterns.

The other options describe outcomes that aren’t PTSD symptoms—for example, sleep improvement or anxiety-free days would contradict the hyperarousal and mood-disturbance typical of PTSD—while increased physical strength isn’t a PTSD symptom.