Could I have PTSD if I saw something happen to a friend but nothing actually happened to me?

Yes you can. Anything that was traumatic to you personally can cause you to experience PTSD symptoms. You can also experience them after someone telling you about a traumatic experience that they or someone else has gone through without you even having to witness it,

Yes! I get this question quite often. If something serious happened to a loved one and you saw it or watched it happen, you still have that unpleasant memory in your brain. It still effects you and your everyday life. A traumatic experience can cause ptsd even if it didn’t happen to you personally. With that being said, if you saw something happen to a loved one, or if something happened to you, do not be afraid to tell someone or talk about it. 7cups has multiple hotlines as well as this listening messaging system:) we will help you seek professional help as well if requested or needed

Yes, it's possible to develop PTSD and/or other anxiety issues just from seeing something happen to a friend, even if it didn't happen directly to you. However, you won't know for sure unless you see a mental health professional. They can then assess what you're dealing with, such as symptoms and other factors related to what you witnessed. After the assessment, they can then properly diagnose you, if there is actually something to diagnose. Once you get a diagnosis, then you can discuss treatment options. They can range from talk therapy to medication to a number of other things that will be discussed with you.

In my opinion, yes. I've witnessed and heard terrifying events and they effect me to this day.