Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD)
When a person experiences a single traumatic event, the brain goes into fight, flight, fawn, or freeze response and has difficulty returning to a calm state. In contrast, complex trauma consists of a series of events occurring over a significant period that impact the nervous system, causing difficulty in navigating daily functioning.
The trauma does not allow the parasympathetic nervous system to restore calmness. The brain’s limbic systems stay in survival mode and are prepared to meet adversity, becoming the “new normal” of functioning by rewiring neurons trapped within the brain and the body.
These posttraumatic symptoms include experiencing flashbacks of the trauma, avoidance of circumstances that remind you of the events, distressing dreams and nightmares, dissociative reactions, and significant changes in cognition and mood associated with trauma.
These traumatic events, while causing lasting trauma, also highlight the resilience of individuals who continue to engage in daily activities despite distress, intrusive thoughts, fear, confusion, or post-traumatic stress far after the event has passed.
Causes of Complex Trauma
- Childhood Abuse, Neglect and Abandonment
- Discovery or Disclosure of Partner’s Betrayal
- Emotional abuse, neglect, and physical abuse
- Intimate Partner Violence
- Medical Abuse and Medical Trauma
- Military Combat Deployment
- Being a Prisoner of War
- Military Medical Personnel
- Repeatedly Witnessing Violence
- Human Trafficking Being Forced or Manipulated into Prostitution, Sex Trafficking or Slavery
- Civil Unrest or Warzone
Avoidance Symptoms
- Avoiding specific locations, sights, situations, and sounds that serve as reminders of the event
- Significant effort to avoid emotions, thoughts, and emotions connected to a traumatic event
- Anxiety, depression, numbness, or guilt
Reactivity Symptoms
- Intrusive thoughts, nightmares, or flashbacks
- Irritable behavior and unprovoked anger outbursts
- Hypervigilant about your surroundings
- Exaggerated startle response
- Aggressive, reckless behavior, including self-harm
- Insomnia and changes in sleep patterns
- Difficulty concentrating and focusing on tasks
Changes in Mood and Cognition Symptoms
- Dissociative Amnesia
- Cognitive Distortions
- Intense negative emotions of fear and anxiety
- Loss of interest in participating in activities
- Decreased socialization
- Unable to enjoy the pleasures of life
- Difficulty remembering details of the event
- Unable to experience positive emotions
- Change in habits or behavior since the trauma
Treatment Options
Evidence-based psychotherapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and EMDR Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, offers a beacon of hope. These therapies can provide relief from symptoms and help you heal and recover from complex trauma.
Remember, you are not alone. Professionals and a supportive community are ready to help you heal and feel better along your journey.
