Who Is Familiar with complex-PTSD?

[Bea]

This is a unique "condition", and I've been reading about it ~ since I have, of course, self-diagnosed myself. It's hard to get an actual diagnosis at this point; I'm not sure it's even in the DSM yet. Most of us are not victims of sex trafficking or war hostages, of course, but there are many roads to complex-PTSD. it's all about how you grew up and how your brain developed. fascinating reading, for those interested. I recommend "Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving" by Pete Walker if you're interested. I am certain this is how I ended up suicidal. But knowledge is power, as they say.

 

[SHThrowAway213]

It wasn't in the DSM when I got diagnosed, but the psychiatrist said I got it.
But because it wasn't in the DSM, I got diagnosed with PTSD and BPD instead.

 

[GreyMonkey]

Its in the DSM V.

The ACE's study got it in there. Although that is way too simple really and doesn't, in my opinion, highlight all the pathways c-ptsd can occur.

I'm pretty sure everyone on here likely has had a significant dose of childhood trauma in some form or another. You don't become suicidal without it.

 

[bunny]

i have it. it's so much more different than ptsd, but as horrible. my sense of connectedness and identity is completely destroyed. people just hurt, no matter what they do. i wouldn't wish this on anyone. i hate re-experiencing memories and thinking about my abuser every single day. i'm so lost, lost, lost

 

[GreyMonkey]

NARM (neuro-affective relational model) is the first real therapeutic model designed to specifically work with c-ptsd.

Person-centred talk therapy can help, IF the therapist is good and can model secure attachment, and continues for extended time frame - talking years here.

Yet CBT and more cognitive based therapies won't be able to touch the deep rooted shame and self-hatred that comes from c-ptsd.

Forearmed with knowledge is one thing, yet repairing the damage to the brain and nervous system, and emotional regulation, is another. Something I don't fucking know how to do yet.

It frustrates me to have this intelligent mind and yet be so fucking messed up emotionally with such a low window of tolerance. Riddled with irrational fear and intense anxious attachment.

I think I was sexually abused around the age of 5-6 which may explain a significant portion of my dysfunction. I don't have a memory of it yet whenever my mind goes near that time and that man's shack at the end of our backyard I notice my body tense up and I don't want to go in there.

 

[Soulless_Angel]

I know I could google but I have never found it helps, but what's the main differences between PTSD and C-PTSD,

 

[GreyMonkey]

I know I could google but I have never found it helps, but what's the main differences between PTSD and C-PTSD,

PTSD is single incident trauma. Like being in a war. Being raped as an adult. Being attacked by a dog.

The symptoms include flashbacks (like planes going overhead or fireworks for a war vet), avoidance of places, triggers - like freezing and heart rate elevating everytime seeing a dog for someone who was attacked, nightmares. Stuff like that.

I think it's largely that the nervous system cannot return to equilibrium after the traumatic event and one is stuck in an elevated response or can keep being triggered into one.

C-PTSD is multi incident trauma. Largely childhood trauma where the abuse happens over a period of time and in a number of forms. Abuse can be super subtle like emotional neglect too. The symptoms are way trickier to describe yet I think it's largely aligned with having a much smaller window of tolerance - I.e. triggered into dysregulated states easier. Depression I think is a chronic dysregulated state, as is anxiety, bipolar, schzophrenia, etc.

 

[FoxtrotOscar]

This is interesting. A brief glimpse at the symptoms online and I would certainly feel sympathetic to such a diagnosis but ironically this would have been caused directly by my experience with psychiatry

 

[Soulless_Angel]

PTSD is single incident trauma. Like being in a war. Being raped as an adult. Being attacked by a dog.

The symptoms include flashbacks (like planes going overhead or fireworks for a war vet), avoidance of places, triggers - like freezing and heart rate elevating everytime seeing a dog for someone who was attacked, nightmares. Stuff like that.

I think it's largely that the nervous system cannot return to equilibrium after the traumatic event and one is stuck in an elevated response or can keep being triggered into one.

C-PTSD is multi incident trauma. Largely childhood trauma where the abuse happens over a period of time and in a number of forms. Abuse can be super subtle like emotional neglect too. The symptoms are way trickier to describe yet I think it's largely aligned with having a much smaller window of tolerance - I.e. triggered into dysregulated states easier. Depression I think is a chronic dysregulated state, as is anxiety, bipolar, schzophrenia, etc.

Thank you for this, the reason I ask is I was told I had PTSD, but my trauma comes from 10 yrs of sexual abuse, a life time of mental abuse, 18 yrs of physical abuse and pure emotional neglect. As well as more leading into adult hood, I self harm, am seriously suicidal, hate life, hate people, can't cope with being outside of the home, my moods are off the chart, I am an emotional wreck, struggle with people and so on, When I looked at PTSD it just didn't fit right, I am now wondering if its more CTPSD if anything at all

 

[BPD_LE]

One doctor diagnosed me with CPTSD, the others with BPD. The symptoms are apparently similar although I have little knowledge of CPTSD if I'm honest.

 

[NoDream]

Ive been diagnosed with CPTSD.

The best treatment for it has been Hypnosis. But its not gone and is the main reason for my death obsession.

Thank you for this, the reason I ask is I was told I had PTSD, but my trauma comes from 10 yrs of sexual abuse, a life time of mental abuse, 18 yrs of physical abuse and pure emotional neglect. As well as more leading into adult hood, I self harm, am seriously suicidal, hate life, hate people, can't cope with being outside of the home, my moods are off the chart, I am an emotional wreck, struggle with people and so on, When I looked at PTSD it just didn't fit right, I am now wondering if its more CTPSD if anything at all

Yes, its a good description of how life is with CPTSD.

 

[GreyMonkey]

C-PTSD is pretty much just a catch-all diagnosis for "pretty fucked up" -> "really fucked up" and I would venture that it actually encapsulates much of the other so-called diagnoses.

Don't get hung up on it as a diagnosis too much. It just means you had a traumatic enough upbringing to cause significant distress and difficulty coping in adulthood.

There isn't an real immediate relief from this sadly. It can't be medicated, although they'll try. Therapy needs to be largely bottom-up, ideally somatic based or NARM and even better if the therapist uses touch. And likely long term.

It's a fucking tragedy.

What people.suffering from this really need is a safe space with a lot of support, meaningful activity, connection with peers, securely attached therapy and nutritional food.

Thank you for this, the reason I ask is I was told I had PTSD, but my trauma comes from 10 yrs of sexual abuse, a life time of mental abuse, 18 yrs of physical abuse and pure emotional neglect. As well as more leading into adult hood, I self harm, am seriously suicidal, hate life, hate people, can't cope with being outside of the home, my moods are off the chart, I am an emotional wreck, struggle with people and so on, When I looked at PTSD it just didn't fit right, I am now wondering if its more CTPSD if anything at all

Yep this is enough to cause anyone serious distress and difficulties as an adult.

I feel for you. A lot. I'm angry that the world can do this kind of thing to people.

I have no doubt that you, and everyone who has suffered like this, are actually a lovely human being under all that toxic stress and trauma that got layed over your poor soul.

I sincerely wish there was something that I knew how to do to heal all of that.

 

[Druvian]

I am very familiar with cptsd. I was diagnosed with it 2 years ago after years and years of sexual abuse as a child and been trying to get help ever since and nothing seems to be working. It's the main factor in me wanting to CTB. Hoping I'm able to CTB soon

 

[Nameless Monster]

Wow I feel verry familiar with cptsd, i was diagnosed whit pstd because of sexual abuse since I was 5 from my step father, there is nothing that will change 10 years of constant sexual abuse, my life is ruend, i cant even hug my friends without feel me sick, i will never be in love, i will never have sex, there is no solution except forget and thats impossible, he is the father of my brothers, the love of my mother, there is no solution except death, and I really hop that it happens really soon

 

[Sammybackflip]

Sounds more serious than simple-PTSD. You should be worried.

 

[Bea]

Wow, thank you for these responses, many of which are heartbreaking. I've also read that EMDR (eye movement desensitization reprocessing) can be helpful ~~ if you can find a therapist experienced with it.

 

[NoDream]

Wow, thank you for these responses, many of which are heartbreaking. I've also read that EMDR (eye movement desensitization reprocessing) can be helpful ~~ if you can find a therapist experienced with it.

Have tried EMDR and it dosent work when there are so many traumas, to many treads in the web to untangle.

If you have only one trauma, like a car crash or been attacked, then it can work, but it has to be right after the event.
Because of that some recommend to play videogames as soon as possible, because then you are moving your eyes fast in diffrent directions,

 

[GreyMonkey]

I had EMDR when I was in the peak of a relationship I was experiencing as traumatic. It fucked me up. Each session would leave me in this triggered state for about 4 days after.

After one session I had this somatic flashback of being sexually abused and I found myself on the couch curled in fetal position sobbing my eyes out screaming out "stop please stop get off me". I didn't have any visual or cognitive memories with this. It was awful. The therapist didn't really want to work with me after that as she got scared I was fragmenting, and I realised I didn't want to either because I got scared I was fragmenting too. It was too intense. Like ripping off a scab to expose the wound after but with no balm or care to work through the wound. I never fully recovered from it and I seem to be existing in a slight PTSD state constantly now coupled with MDD.

I think the therapist has to really really know what they are doing if they are gonna approach c-ptsd.

NARM is a therapeutic modality aimed at solving it.
Also The Completion Process by Teal Swan can be good too with a good practitioner, although many of them are kids.

 

[Dawn0071111]

I have this... it is mistaken and misdiagnosed as BPD a lot.... but multople or prolonged trauma is the cause & the symptoms overlap with bpd, but clear distinctions.

 

[Final Escape]

Have tried EMDR and it dosent work when there are so many traumas, to many treads in the web to untangle.

If you have only one trauma, like a car crash or been attacked, then it can work, but it has to be right after the event.
Because of that some recommend to play videogames as soon as possible, because then you are moving your eyes fast in diffrent directions,

I guess for people with complex ptsd it just takes many EMDR sessions over a period of time before u improve. Many people unfortunately don't get the right help soon enough with complex ptsd and it can derail your life.

 

[Temporarilyabsurd]

I searched for a torrent of 'trauma related mindfullness ' that I saw on a reddit post .

Downloaded a Yoga book , 'Trauma -sensitive Yoga " by Dagmar Härle.

( 'cos ... torrent , )

Anyway , had one of those self diagnosing ah ha moments : (p34 )

For securely attached children, the caregiver fulfills the role of the
"safe haven," always offering protection to the child when needed.
Insecure-ambivalent and insecure-avoidant children are not able to
trust in their attachment person's availability. The only way out of
the oppressive and threatening situation is to avoid the relationship.
Insecurely-ambivalently attached children show that they are fearful
and dependent on their attachment person since the behavior of
the latter is neither predictable nor comprehensible. The constant
alternation between approachable and unapproachable behavior leads
to the necessity of the child's attachment system constantly being
activated. These children cannot develop any positive expectations,
because the attachment person does not offer any reliable protection—
even when they are nearby.
Traumatized children more frequently display one of the two
insecure attachment patterns. A further attachment pattern of
disorganized attachment is primarily associated with neglect and
abuse. These children suffer from the fact that the person who should
guarantee their protection represents a threat or they suffer from
the consequences of their own psychotrauma. If the traumatizing
caregiver displays frightening-terrifying or a fearful-terrified behavior,
children are unable to develop a uniform attachment strategy for
attaining protection and comfort. They behave in an avoidant-
disorganized or clinging-disorganized way that is shown by how they
search for closeness and then behave with aggression or resistance in
the same breath.
When children must protect themselves against the person from
whom they obviously need protection, they find themselves in a
hopeless situation. They are unable to develop successful strategies for
coming into contact with their closest caregiver. Consequently, they
remain stuck in an approaching–avoiding conflict. This relationship
behavior is also apparent in their adult lives, and becomes visible in
therapy as well (cf. Wöller 2006).

I've come across that whole 'protect ourselves from our nurturer' thing before , but I really
connected with this today .

"Consequently, they remain stuck in an approaching–avoiding conflict."

I could see myself warming to relationships and then running a mile ...

Sort of leaves you in a social vacuum .
Jeez .

( Initially searched , and am waiting for ; 'trauma sensitive mindfullness' by David A Treleaven ')

disclaimer : I'm no mindful yoga bunny ... just internet surfing .

 

[Fallen_From_Grace]

I have CPTSD and I don't wish it on the world's most horrible people.

 

[Final Escape]

I searched for a torrent of 'trauma related mindfullness ' that I saw on a reddit post .

Downloaded a Yoga book , 'Trauma -sensitive Yoga " by Dagmar Härle.

( 'cos ... torrent , )

Anyway , had one of those self diagnosing ah ha moments : (p34 )

For securely attached children, the caregiver fulfills the role of the
"safe haven," always offering protection to the child when needed.
Insecure-ambivalent and insecure-avoidant children are not able to
trust in their attachment person's availability. The only way out of
the oppressive and threatening situation is to avoid the relationship.
Insecurely-ambivalently attached children show that they are fearful
and dependent on their attachment person since the behavior of
the latter is neither predictable nor comprehensible. The constant
alternation between approachable and unapproachable behavior leads
to the necessity of the child's attachment system constantly being
activated. These children cannot develop any positive expectations,
because the attachment person does not offer any reliable protection—
even when they are nearby.
Traumatized children more frequently display one of the two
insecure attachment patterns. A further attachment pattern of
disorganized attachment is primarily associated with neglect and
abuse. These children suffer from the fact that the person who should
guarantee their protection represents a threat or they suffer from
the consequences of their own psychotrauma. If the traumatizing
caregiver displays frightening-terrifying or a fearful-terrified behavior,
children are unable to develop a uniform attachment strategy for
attaining protection and comfort. They behave in an avoidant-
disorganized or clinging-disorganized way that is shown by how they
search for closeness and then behave with aggression or resistance in
the same breath.
When children must protect themselves against the person from
whom they obviously need protection, they find themselves in a
hopeless situation. They are unable to develop successful strategies for
coming into contact with their closest caregiver. Consequently, they
remain stuck in an approaching–avoiding conflict. This relationship
behavior is also apparent in their adult lives, and becomes visible in
therapy as well (cf. Wöller 2006).

I've come across that whole 'protect ourselves from our nurturer' thing before , but I really
connected with this today .

"Consequently, they remain stuck in an approaching–avoiding conflict."

I could see myself warming to relationships and then running a mile ...

Sort of leaves you in a social vacuum .
Jeez .

( Initially searched , and am waiting for ; 'trauma sensitive mindfullness' by David A Treleaven ')

disclaimer : I'm no mindful yoga bunny ... just internet surfing .

Sounds like u described why I wanna ctb lol! These problems makes life suck.

 

[Boonks]

I was diagnosed with BPD and Bipolar 1 but I am not convinced and I'm not taking my pills. I've just started seeing a therapist who thinks I was misdiagnosed and instead have CPTSD.

 

[Forest Fire]

It's the reason i'm on this site! No kind of life

 

[Azzy69]

My uncle has it. All I have been told is that he checked himself into a psych ward after divorcing from his wife and losing custody of his children.

 

[Xaphous]

Ignored, denied diagnosis

 

[BPD_LE]

I was diagnosed with BPD and Bipolar 1 but I am not convinced and I'm not taking my pills. I've just started seeing a therapist who thinks I was misdiagnosed and instead have CPTSD.

For me it depends on the doctor. Some say BPD, others CPTSD. I don't give a damn what they label it as, just get rid of it!

 

[Dawn0071111]

NARM (neuro-affective relational model) is the first real therapeutic model designed to specifically work with c-ptsd.

Person-centred talk therapy can help, IF the therapist is good and can model secure attachment, and continues for extended time frame - talking years here.

Yet CBT and more cognitive based therapies won't be able to touch the deep rooted shame and self-hatred that comes from c-ptsd.

Forearmed with knowledge is one thing, yet repairing the damage to the brain and nervous system, and emotional regulation, is another. Something I don't fucking know how to do yet.

It frustrates me to have this intelligent mind and yet be so fucking messed up emotionally with such a low window of tolerance. Riddled with irrational fear and intense anxious attachment.

I think I was sexually abused around the age of 5-6 which may explain a significant portion of my dysfunction. I don't have a memory of it yet whenever my mind goes near that time and that man's shack at the end of our backyard I notice my body tense up and I don't want to go in there.

Welp, pretty much told my scenario right here. I could have a damn MENSA card, but emotionally retarded & last summers trauma blew the lid off .... Im done... 40 for me is way to late to try & build the life i wanted & hope for. Kids, marriage, career, school, hobbies.... I trashed my life. ... Its devastating.... Just to suffer over and over and over and over and over.... CTBIS one saying ENOUGH.

It's the reason i'm on this site! No kind of life

Same here.... to find out so late in life for me is unacceptable. I dont even want recovery anymore. Im killing myself over this because it ruined my goddsmned life. Fuck a consolation prize life from 40-60 of therapy and trying to make up for a life deviod of anything normal... jobs, relationships, community, vocations... fuck that...

 

[Soulless_Angel]

So since this post I have been diagnosed with CPTSD..... fuck this shite is all i can say to that!!!!!!!