C-PTSD
by Andi · 32 things on NewTwos
- What is complex PTSD?
- Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (complex PTSD, sometimes abbreviated to c-PTSD or CPTSD) is a condition where you experience some symptoms of PTSD along with some additional symptoms, such as:
- difficulty controlling your emotions
- feeling very angry or distrustful towards the world
- constant feelings of emptiness or hopelessness
- feeling as if you are permanently damaged or worthless
- feeling as if you are completely different to other people
- feeling like nobody can understand what happened to you
- avoiding friendships and relationships, or finding them very difficult
- often experiencing dissociative symptoms such as depersonalisation or derealisation
- physical symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, chest pains and stomach aches
- regular suicidal feelings.
- What is the difference between PTSD and C-PTSD?
- The duration of the traumatic event: C-PTSD is caused by a series of traumatic events over a long period of time (months/years).
- C-PTSD may lead to addiction, depression, anxiety and changes in personality, among more if left untreated.
- What causes C-PTSD?
- Long-term trauma and repeated traumatic events.
- Growing up in an abusive household, lacking a feeling of safety. This constant fear of harm in childhood can cause problems later in life.
- What are the symptoms of C-PTSD?
- Flashbacks or nightmares
- Hyperarousal - intense anxiety surrounding an event and anything that may remind you of it
- Difficulty controlling emotions
- Negative self-view
- Detachment from the trauma: may manifest in derealization and depersonalization
- The impact of childhood trauma on the brain and body
- When children have C-PTSD, their brain learns to constantly assume and respond to minor signs of a possible threat. Adrenaline and cortisol continuously flood the body as a result.
- Since fighting back or running away rarely is an option, the child will instead shut down, dissociate, and freeze.
- How C-PTSD affects adulthood
- Their stress response is hyperactive and causes an increase of adrenaline and cortisol at the slightest perceived threat, as a result of responding to constant trauma.
- Many people might experience dissociation or repress memories of the event or flashbacks where they relive the event.
- Source