Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD)
What is C-PTSD?
Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) is a mental health condition that develops in response to prolonged and repeated exposure to traumatic events, typically occurring in situations where someone feels powerless or unable to escape. Unlike traditional PTSD, which often results from a single traumatic incident, C-PTSD stems from ongoing trauma, such as childhood abuse, neglect, or living in an environment of chronic adversity.
Do I have Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Symptoms of C-PTSD:
C-PTSD is characterized by a range of symptoms that include:
- Emotional Dysregulation: Those with C-PTSD often struggle with intense and fluctuating emotions, including anger, shame, guilt, fear, and sadness. These emotions can be overwhelming and difficult to manage, leading to emotional outbursts or emotional numbness.
- Dysfunctional Relationships: C-PTSD can impact an individual’s ability to form and maintain healthy relationships. They may experience difficulties with trust, intimacy, and boundaries, leading to patterns of unhealthy or unstable relationships.
- Negative Self-Perception: Individuals with C-PTSD may develop negative beliefs about themselves, feeling unworthy, defective, or fundamentally flawed because of their past experiences. They may also experience feelings of shame, self-blame, and low self-esteem.
- Distorted Perception of the Perpetrator: In cases of interpersonal trauma, individuals with C-PTSD may struggle to accurately perceive and evaluate the intentions of the perpetrator. They may experience conflicting emotions, such as love and fear, towards the person who caused them harm.
- Affect Dysregulation: C-PTSD can disrupt the individual’s ability to regulate their emotions and reactions to stress. They may experience heightened arousal, hypervigilance, and difficulty relaxing or feeling safe, even in non-threatening situations.
- Trauma-Related Triggers: Certain cues or reminders of past trauma can trigger distressing memories, emotions, or physical sensations in individuals with C-PTSD, leading to flashbacks, nightmares, or other re-experiencing symptoms.
- Loss of Meaning and Purpose: Chronic exposure to trauma can erode the individual’s sense of meaning, purpose, and hope for the future. They may struggle to find meaning in their experiences or to envision a fulfilling life beyond their trauma.
Online therapy and treatment for C-PTSD
Treatment for C-PTSD typically involves a combination of psychotherapy, medication, and holistic approaches aimed at addressing the underlying trauma, building coping skills, and fostering resilience. Therapy modalities such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and somatic experiencing may be particularly beneficial in treating C-PTSD.
Recovery from C-PTSD is possible with time, support, and a commitment to healing. By addressing the root causes of trauma and learning to manage its effects, individuals can reclaim their sense of agency, rebuild their lives, and cultivate greater resilience and well-being.
Coping with C-PTSD with Counselling Psychology Online
Our qualified psychologists, therapists and counsellors here at Counselling Psychology Online provide bespoke therapy online for those suffering from Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder .
For any further information on our counselling, or any of our therapists, or to schedule in a call with us, contact us here. Answers to the most frequently asked questions about our therapies, fees and online therapy can be found on our FAQ page.
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Types of Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
- Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
- Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-E)
- Person-Centred Therapy (PCT)
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Psychosynthesis Therapy
- Transactional Analysis Therapy (TA)
- Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
- Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT)
- Structural Clinical Management (SCM)