Complex PTSD
What is complex PTSD?
Complex PTSD is a form of PTSD that displays psychological challenges alongside traditional PTSD. Complex trauma is the result of prolonged and repeated traumas over a period of time, such as constant abuse. Traditional PTSD usually occurs if the trauma is a one time occurrence, such as a car accident.
What are examples of complex trauma?
Complex trauma is often the result of being unable to escape a situation. Some of the situations that can cause complex trauma are the following:
Concentration camps
Prisoner of War camps
Prostitution brothels
Long-term domestic violence
Long-term child physical abuse
Long-term child sexual abuse
Organized child exploitation rings
What are the symptoms of C-PTSD that set it apart from traditional PTSD?
People who experience prolonged trauma may experience the following difficulties:
Emotional Regulation: people have a hard time controlling their emotions and may experience emotions more intensely than someone who has not experienced prolonged trauma. Such issues include persistent sadness, suicidal thoughts, explosive anger, or inhibited anger.
Consciousness- A person may forget traumatic events, relive the tramatic events, or have episodes in which they feel
detatched from ones mental processes or body.
Self Perception- A person may feel helpless, shame, guilt, stigma, and a sense of being completely different from other
human beings.
Distorted Perceptions of the Perpetrator- The victim may attribute total power to the perpetrator, become preoccupied with the
relationship to perpetrator, or preoccupied with revenge.
Relationship with others- People who experience complex trauma may isolate, distrust others, or repeatedly search for a
rescuer.
Ones System of Meanings- This may include a loss of sustaining faith or a sense of hopelessness and despair.
People with C-PTSD are often misdiagnosed with having a personality disorder such as Borderline or Dependent Personality Disorders. There are many overlaps in the symptoms of BPD and C-PTSD and are often diagnosed together.
Whats the treatment for C-PTSD?
Complex PTSD can be treated using the same evidence based treatments as PTSD, such as Eye Movement Desentization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Recovery from PTSD also often requires addressing interpersonal difficulties such as restoration of control and power for the traumatized person. It is important for the individual to become empowered and this can occur by creating relationships that have a sense of safety, allow for rememberance and mourning, and promote reconnection with everyday life
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@InvaderStitch
thank you for sharing! I think it is so important people recognize the difference between ptsd and complex ptsd because the symptoms are different. Some individuals with complex PTSD, like myself, experienced their trauma during many years of childhood thus having an impact on their development! Particularly emotional development! My psychiatrist explained this concept to me and how I still feel emotions like an 8 year old because that is when the abuse started and that is also when I did everything I could not to feel. Now as an adult I feel despair instead of sadness, rage instead of anger, euphoria instead of happiness. I didn't face the abuse for many many years, still shoving everything that has to do with it until about a couple years ago. Now that I am letting my emotions come up again I have to try to learn how to deal with them appropriately! My emotions consume me. So much so I have experienced suicide ideation. I experience every single one of these symptoms and I spent so long feeling so estranged from my original diagnosis of ptsd because it just didn't fit. Complex PTSD does indeed fit and it is relieving!
@PerfectlyImperfectt21
I'm so sorry that you experienced trauma for so long. I can also relate to feeling emotions like an 8 year old. Sometimes I feel like I'm a 5 year old stuck in a 27 year old body because I don't know how to deal with intense emotions and life. It's hard, but like you I am in the process of learning how to process and deal with these things. Thanks so much for sharing your experience. :)
@InvaderStitch
Wow thank you. As a c-ptsd struggler because childhood of all 3 forms of abuse, this accurately listen describes everything. Every day it gets worse. Haven't escaped yet but I'm trying