CJ, that is a good way to look at PTSD, however; we are talking about counselling after the traumatic event, which is the time where a sufferer can be helped. If they are left to recognise a problem, it is often too late by that stage. Males and females are very different in this aspect also, in that females will go and discuss trauma with someone after the fact, they just might not get the correct feedback in order to remove blame or guilt from them, hence PTSD forms anyway. Males on the other hand are terrible at best of times for talking about their true emotions, hence whether forced or offerer, a male will more often than not reject help because they do not see the problem to begin with. You could tell a person after a traumatic event that they could get PTSD, and explain what PTSD is, but they will still ignore that advice and continue on their own because they cannot understand it until they have it, hence the very nature of PTSD. If you don't believe you will get it, or you don't believe you have a problem, then people won't get counselling. This is why the question is structured so specifically, to see what the general opinions are in relation to the short, sharp answers, yes or no, to the specific wording.

What people need is to be forced into counselling after trauma IMHO, at which point they must continue to be forced for atleast enough sessions until they get the message that they are their until such time as they begin to open up and talk about the trauma and their feelings. If a counsellor is happy with what they say, then no more needed; if not, more counselling until such time as the counsellor could signoff and say they have gotten it out of them.

Too late is not the answer basically.....