Understanding Complex PTSD

Complex PTSD results from repeated trauma over months or years, rather than a single event. It's characterized by deep emotional disturbance and a pervasive pattern of psychological harm.

Symptoms include difficulties with emotional regulation, consciousness, self-perception, distorted perceptions of perpetrators, and relations with others. Often, there's a loss of systems of meaning.

Complex PTSD is commonly linked with prolonged childhood abuse. Childhood trauma can profoundly affect personality development, attachment security, and the ability to form stable relationships.

Sufferers often experience dissociation, a psychological mechanism that disconnects from reality, affecting memory. This can lead to gaps in memory, especially of the traumatic events.

Treatment for Complex PTSD may include psychotherapy, such as EMDR or cognitive-behavioral therapy, and medication. A focus on safety, stabilization, and symptom reduction is crucial before processing trauma.

Repeated trauma can physically change brain regions responsible for emotion and memory, such as the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, impacting mental health long-term.