ClumsyMonkey.net

What are the symptoms?
How long before you'll show them?

Most people who are exposed to a traumatic, stressful event experience some of the symptoms of PTSD in the days and weeks following exposure. Available data suggest that about 8% of men and 20% of women go on to develop PTSD, and roughly 30% of these individuals develop a chronic form that persists throughout their lifetimes.

to my knowledge, you can be diagnosed with PTSD if the symptoms don't go away after a "normal" amount of time in which you should be able to cope with the event

but after a traumatic event it is completely normal to be in a state of shock, have flashbacks, nightmares, etc.

People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person's daily life.

here's some info on Acute Stress Disorder - which has to with the month preceeding the event:

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a psychiatric diagnosis that can be given to individuals in the first month following a traumatic event. The symptoms that define ASD overlap with those for PTSD, although there are a greater number of dissociative symptoms for ASD, such as not knowing where you are or feeling as if you are outside of your body.

Thank You Bethany