Symptoms and Treatment for Complex Ptsd

A variety of stressful events, such as a car
accident, natural disaster, a near-death incident, or other solitary acts of
violence or abuse, can result in post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), a syndrome that was initially found to affect combat
veterans. Yet, when the underlying trauma is persistent and recurrent, some
mental health professionals make a distinction between PTSD and its more severe
sibling, complex PTSD (C-PTSD).

Since it was initially mentioned in the late
1980s, complex PTSD has drawn more attention. However, it is important to
highlight that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth
Edition (DSM-5), the instrument used by mental health practitioners to diagnose
mental health issues, does not recognize it as a separate condition.

SYMPTOMS

Re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal
are all hallmarks of PTSD, and C-PTSD symptoms typically additionally include:

• Inability to regulate one’s emotions. A
  person with C-PTSD frequently loses control of their emotions, which can lead
  to violent anger, protracted despair, melancholy, and suicidal thoughts.
• Negative self-perception C-PTSD can make a
  person have a bad opinion of oneself.
• They could experience helplessness, remorse,
  or shame.
• They frequently get the impression that they
  are totally unique from everyone else.
• Having relational issues. Relationships may suffer as a result of issues with
  trusting others and having a poor opinion of oneself. Because of what they
  experienced in the past, a person with C-PTSD may avoid relationships or enter into harmful ones.
• Separation from the traumatic event.
  Depersonalization is the separation of oneself from one’s environment (derealization).
  Some people may even lose the memory of their ordeal.

• Loss of a value system. Losing one’s fundamental
  convictions, morals, religious faith, or optimism for the future of humanity
  can fall under this category.

All of these symptoms have the potential to
drastically affect one’s quality of life and seriously impact crucial aspects
of one’s personal, familial, social, academic, occupational, or other areas of
life.

Identifying C-PTSD

Even though the idea of C-PTSD has been
around for a while, the American Psychiatric Association does not formally
acknowledge it because it is not included in the fifth edition of the
“Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-5)
(APA).

Despite having distinct symptoms of its own,
some people feel that C-PTSD is too similar to PTSD (and other trauma-related
diseases) to be given a separate diagnosis. DSM-5 combines PTSD and C-PTSD
symptoms as a result.

 

Due to the fact that some of the distinctive
traits displayed by people who have undergone repetitive trauma are not fully
captured by typical PTSD symptoms, many mental health specialists do identify
C-PTSD as a different illness.

In the 11th version of the
“International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health
Problems,” the World Health Organization (WHO) decided to classify C-PTSD
as a separate diagnosis (ICD-11).

Doctors may diagnose patients with PTSD
rather than complex PTSD because the disorder is still relatively new and isn’t
listed in the DSM-5. You should keep track of your symptoms so that you can
describe them to your doctor because there is no specific test to distinguish
between PTSD and C-PTSD.

These two diseases are treated similarly, but
you might want to talk to your doctor or therapist about some of the other
complex trauma symptoms you are experiencing.

C-PTSD and borderline personality disorder
can both exhibit the same signs and symptoms (BPD). Even if trauma isn’t always
the cause of BPD, it frequently is. In fact, to acknowledge the connection to
trauma, promote a better understanding of BPD, and help people with BPD suffer
less stigma, several academics and psychologists advocate for placing BPD under
the heading of C-PTSD in the next editions of the DSM.

Causes of C-PTSD

C-PTSD is thought to result from severe,
persistent abuse over an extended length of time. Abuse frequently takes place
during a person’s most vulnerable years, like early childhood
or adolescence, and it can lead to life difficulties.

There are many ways that traumatic stress can affect the brain. According to research,
trauma is linked to long-lasting alterations in the amygdala, hippocampus, and
prefrontal cortex, three important parts of the brain.

The following long-term traumatic event
categories can result in C-PTSD:

 

• Abuse, neglect, or abandonment of children
• Domestic Abuse
• Genocide
• Childhood enlistment
• Torture
• Slavery

In situations like this, the victim is
powerless to escape since they are under the authority of another individual.

Therapy for C-PTSD

Due to the lack of precise diagnostic
criteria for C-PTSD in the DSM-5, it is possible to receive a PTSD diagnosis
despite the fact that C-PTSD may be a more accurate description of your
symptoms. Despite the disorder’s complexity and severity, C-PTSD can be treated
using many of the same methods as PTSD, such as:

Medications

Medication can help with C-PTSD symptoms like
anxiety and despair. They are particularly
beneficial when used with psychotherapy. Complex PTSD is frequently treated
with antidepressants, such as Prozac (fluoxetine), Paxil (paroxetine), and
Zoloft (sertraline).

 

Psychotherapy

The goal of psychotherapy for C-PTSD is to
identify traumatic memories and negative thought patterns, swap them out for
more realistic and empowering ones, and develop more adaptive coping mechanisms
for the effects of your trauma.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing
(EMDR) is a method of psychotherapy that can be used to treat both PTSD and
complicated PTSD (EMDR). This method processes and reframes traumatic memories
using eye movements that are led by the therapist. This procedure is designed
to lessen the unpleasant emotions connected to the traumatic experience over
time.

 

Managing C-PTSD

Treatments for complex PTSD can be lengthy,
so it’s critical to learn coping mechanisms for the symptoms of the disease.

Find support: Complex PTSD frequently causes people to
isolate themselves from friends and family, similar to PTSD. However, it is crucial
for mental health to have a robust social support system. Reach out to a
dependable friend or member of your family when you are feeling stressed,
angry, frightened, or afraid.

Become more mindful: Complex PTSD may result in tension, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. You can fight off
emotions of distress by practicing mindfulness, which can help you become more
conscious of what you are feeling right now. This exercise involves learning
how to concentrate on the present.

Create a list of your ideas: According to research, keeping a journal
can help with PTSD symptoms management and reduce flashbacks, intrusive
thoughts, and nightmares.

A notebook can be a helpful tool for keeping
track of symptoms during therapy that you can later share with your therapist.

It’s critical to seek treatment from a therapist
who is experienced with treating PTSD if you or someone you care about has
experienced recurrent trauma and is having trouble coping.

There are numerous trained and top-of-the-field therapists, counselors, and psychiatrists with PTSD as their Area of
Expertise at TalktoAngel. Reach Out Today!

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Contributed by: Dr.
(Prof) R.K Suri Clinical
Psychologist & Life Coach and Ms.
Varshini Nayyar, Psychologist