Here’s how to identify complex PTSD.
Sarah’s life is complex. Growing up, her mother blamed her loudly and smacked her often for her father’s disinterest and the succession of men that came and went during the seven years afterward. Sarah remembers the day her mother finally gave up.
It was the day she began her four year battle without the care of a parent. Bullied by other kids. Running away. Boyfriends who always left. Alcohol was friendly to Sarah during her twenties. But now it was turning on her. It failed to ease the painful memories she felt in her body more than she remembered clearly. She felt out of control. But she couldn’t really say when the feeling started.
Every day ended with headaches, cigarettes, and more drinking.
She could barely stand to talk to anyone. Everyone got on her nerves. She could barely stand to work. Everyday exhausted her. Sarah could barely stand anything except her dark apartment and a glass of anything on the rocks. Sarah’s life is complex. And so is her PTSD.Complex PTSD (Post Traumatic Syndrome Disorder) is the result of prolonged trauma.
Sufferers like Sarah share the experience of having been victimized for months or years, by people, systems, or circumstances beyond their control.
Complex PTSD weighs heavy on the total person--self concept, body, mind, and relationships. Consider the most common signs and symptoms:
Self-concept: Signs that Complex PTSD has impaired a person’s self image may be evident in a tendency toward self-abuse, manipulation, and self medicating. Eating disorders and substance abuse are not unusual. Symptoms include:
Low Self-Esteem - self-consciousness, shame, and guilt which is not consistent with reality.
Self-Loathing - extreme self-hatred.
Perfectionism - habit of attempting to maintain unrealistic standards.
Body: Signs that Complex PTSD is negatively affecting a person’s physical body may be evident by the amount of physical discomfort or distress exhibited. Complaints of chronic pain, migraines, and panic attacks often occur. Symptoms include:
Medical Problems - physical susceptibility to aches, pains, and illness.
Self Harm - bodily mutilation and cutting to alleviate emotional pain.
Physical Startle and Panic responses - Involuntary jumpiness or intense periods of hyperventilation, trembling, or sweating accompanying anxiety or traumatic memories.
Dissociation - feeling disconnected from the physical self
Relationships: Signs that Complex PTSD has impaired a person’s ability to relate may be evident in how a person chooses partners or withdraws from social interaction. Promiscuity, pleasing, or power seeking may occur just as readily as antisocial behavior. Symptoms include:
Fear of abandonment - irrational sense that rejection by a partner or others is imminent.
Withdrawal - inability or unwillingness to connect with others.
Blaming and avoidance - withdrawing from people as a self-protective measure or focusing only on responsible parties rather than resolution.
Poor perception of others - tendency to connect with abusive or emotionally unavailable people.
Mind: Signs that Complex PTSD is negatively impacting a person psychologically may be evident by his or her moods and thought patterns. Anger management issues, selective amnesia, and revenge fantasies are not uncommon. Symptoms include:
Poor Emotional Regulation - includes depression, suicidal thinking, inappropriate anger, and catastrophizing.
Consciousness Issues - tendency to either forget or relive traumatic event, feel mentally detached, or struggle significantly with identity.
Learned Helplessness - falsely and persistently believing in a lack of control over specific circumstances.
Distorted Perceptions of Abuser - preoccupation with the perpetrator(s), revenge, and fear of reappearance.
Complex PTSD requires therapy and compassionate care. If you or someone you know is suffering, please seek professional help soon.
If you would like some extra support healing from complex PTSD and are looking for a psychotherapist, please contact us for a free 20-minute consultation to learn about how I can be of service.
To find out more about my services click here: PTSD Treatment. Serving Boulder, Longmont, Denver..
