Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) is a substantial mental health issue. It arises from the severe emotional trauma. It is similar to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Symptoms of CPTSD often can considerably affect emotions, memory, and relationships at the same time. Usually, many CPTSD sufferers tend to be oblivious to its presence in them.
It can help you a lot, especially when you know the only complex PTSD trigger symptoms to be familiar with if either you or somebody you know are dealing with CPTSD.
Below, we will explore “What are the 17 symptoms of complex PTSD?” How do they affect everyday life and what therapies are the most effective?
What Is Complex PTSD?
Complex PTSD, which is a serious mental health condition, arises from long-term traumatic incidents, usually within drown situations, and escape seems implausible.
It can be explained in terms of a person’s ability to manage feelings, to have good relationships, and to be confident as a person.
Causes Complex PTSD
Sometimes, complex PTSD are forms of chronic or severe stress, like:
- Neglect or abuse in childhood
- Violence at home
- Sexual abuse
- Being trafficked or held hostage
- War or conflict
- Ongoing medical trauma
- Emotional or psychological abuse
What Are The 17 Symptoms of Complex PTSD?
Identifying complex PTSD trigger symptoms can enable individuals to understand their disease and receive appropriate help.
Those with CPTSD live and suffer both emotional, psychological, and physical problems. These are the 17 symptoms of CPTSD:
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Emotional Dysregulation
Some individuals who suffer from C-PTSD may have strong emotions that fluctuate a lot.
They can be distressed by extreme sadness, fear among others, even if these feelings are not corresponded with the triggers in their current situation.
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Dissociation and Detachment
An often seen symptom in C-PTSD is dissociation which is when the individual feels cut off from their emotions, surrounding, or their own identity.
They may act like they are in a trance, have memory blocks as well as be as if they are looking at themselves from the outside.
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Negative Self-Perception
People with C-PTSD typically encounter strong feelings of embarrassment and fault. Perhaps they think they are entirely defective, unlovable, or no chance to get better too.
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Persistent Anxiety and Hypervigilance
One major symptom of C-PTSD is a high degree of vigilance, i.e., an alert state. The individuals may feel like they are always on the edge, can get easily scared, or too careful in their daily actions.
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Avoidance of Triggers
C-PTSD people tend to leave out such situations, people, or places where the events that resemble their trauma happened to them. This abstinence is a real setback for them if they want to lead a normal life.
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Difficulty in Relationships
The person dealing with C-PTSD tends to be afraid to take on friendships for fear of rejection, and if he does, he may not be able to sustain it because of his feelings of deadened emotions and experiences of feeling cut off and slow in expressing emotions.
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Chronic Guilt and Shame
In C-PTSD, guilt becomes a heavy burden. It acts like a shadow, constantly suggesting that the victim is at fault for their suffering. Even after severe abuse, these whispers persist, fueling a sense of unfair self-blame.
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Emotional Flashbacks
In C-PTSD, the memories are not sequences of images, rather strong emotions that make people feel fearful, sad, or angry, and each emotion is related to the past trauma.
It resembles a thunderstorm of emotions with no clear cause, crashing down without warning.
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Self-Destructive Behavior
A lot of CPTSD and PTSD suicidal ideation people have to cope with the fact that they are thinking about killing themselves of self-harm.
Hurting oneself, exerting emotional influence on situations, getting addicted to substances, and possessing thoughts about killing oneself are common ways that people use to deal with their intense emotions.
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Sense of Hopelessness
Most people with C-PTSD often feel hopeless. They feel tormented by their suffering. This leads to a bleak outlook for the future. Many believe their self-suffering cannot be healed.
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Somatic Symptoms
A few sufferers of C-PTSD could believe liable for their health problems. These may involve lasting pain, headache issues, digestive concerns, or fatigue. They assume their body keeps the strain from their trauma.
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Aggression and Irritability
Complex PTSD aggressive behavior is common in those who struggle to regulate their emotions.
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Feeling Disconnected from Reality
Depersonalization and Derealization are prevalent in C-PTSD, where people may think they are dreaming or that their environment is not real.
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Trouble Concentrating
It is well known that cognitive functioning concerns are common in C-PTSD such as the inability to remember, a lack of concentration, that may present in work, academics as well as in everyday life.
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Inability to Experience Joy
Every so often, things like emotional indifference or the absence of joy can really be a disadvantage that the C-PTSD ones have to cope with.
People may stop loving the things, which are the source of their happiness, like hobbies, relationships, and activities.
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The Sleep Struggle
Insomnia, nightmares, and night terrors often affect those with C-PTSD. This trio makes getting restful sleep hard.
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Loss of a Sense of Self
A broken self-image often defines C-PTSD. People may struggle with identity confusion. They might feel like they have multiple personas or see themselves in conflicting ways.
Recognizing CPTSD in Relationships
When CPTSD patients are in relationships, it greatly affects their interactions:
- Trust Issues: They often struggle to trust others, which can lead to isolation.
- Emotional Distance: While they may feel love at times, fear of pain often prevails.
- Fear of Abandonment: They frequently worry that loved ones will leave. This can lead to two extremes like excessive attachment or isolation.
What Happens if PTSD Is Left Untreated?
The effects of untreated CPTSD include:
- A higher risk of depression and anxiety
- More difficulty forming healthy relationships
- Less good physical health, which results in, e.g., gastrointestinal complaints
- A bad chance to have any other mental illnesses like borderline personality disorder
- A high chance of becoming a victim of drugs misuse and addiction
Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Goals
The main Complex post-traumatic stress disorder treatment goals include:
- Reducing flashbacks and nightmares
- Helping patients regulate emotions
- Teaching coping strategies for triggers
- Improving relationships and trust
Best PTSD Treatment Centers in the World
CPTSD can be managed with several treatment options. Some of the best PTSD treatment centers in the world provide therapies and methods such as:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Medication
- Stress Management Techniques
- Support Groups
Self-Care Strategies for Complex PTSD
- Exercise: Physical activity is a fantastic approach to manage stress, as well as expending all that energy.
- Healthy Diet: Supports gut function and can lower complex PTSD and digestive issues.
- Sleep Hygiene: Reducing screen time before bed can help with CPTSD and sleep problems.
Final Thought
Understanding what are the 17 symptoms of Complex PTSD is the first step toward healing. This disease might be hard to fight, but actually can be done thanks to proper help.
No matter how we treat it, with therapy, medications, or by involving the community, we are taking the first step toward freedom from CPTSD.
Should there be any issues facing yourself or someone you know, then do not hesitate to call us at Today Telemedicine for assistance.
FAQs
Is dissociation a symptom of PTSD?
Dissociation is a common PTSD symptom, causing emotional detachment.
What is the difference between PTSD and anxiety disorders?
PTSD starts with trauma, unlike anxiety disorders. It involves flashbacks, dissociation, and hypervigilance, which aren’t typical of anxiety disorders.
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