Complex PTSD or cPTSD is a real disorder with real consequences. It has been added to the ICD-11 as a diagnosis. cPTSD is similar to PTSD, but may have much more pervasive effects due to the long term nature of the trauma. Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes has trained thousands of counselors on trauma treatment through AllCEUs.com.
Treatment
Education Many people with CPTSD think that their symptoms represent an innate constitution and have not recognized the association with trauma.
Create safety
Develop somatic and emotional awareness (Yoga, meditation)
Empower with IFS to heal the parts of themselves that were developed in the context of trauma
Memory integration (EMDR)
Addressing underlying issues instead of simply struggling with symptoms in the present
• Physical
• Dizziness or nausea when remembering the trauma
• Always tense
• Startling easy
• Difficulty sleeping
• Impulsive behaviors including self-harm
• Affective
• Emotional dysregulation /Lability
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Shame
• Guilt
• Feeling afraid for no obvious reason
• Cognitive
• Reliving the trauma through flashbacks and nightmares
• Difficulty concentrating
• A negative self-view
• Environmental
• Avoiding situations that remind them of the trauma
• Hypervigilance
• The belief that the world is a dangerous place
• Relational
• A loss of trust in the self or others
• Problems with maintaining relationships (switching, trust, rages)
• Feeling detached from oneself
• Feeling different from others
• Low levels of social support
• Rescuing
• Attracted to people who are emotionally unavailable
Summary
Ongoing or repetitive traumas alter the person’s schema, increase the number or trauma related stimuli, cause structural changes to the brain and promote the development of survival strategies such as dissociation which can lead to a pervasive sense of disempowerment and unsafeness.
These changes ultimately lead to alterations in the HPA-Axis and corresponding problems with emotional regulation, hypervigilance, concentration, relationships and more
Summary
Addressing the superficial symptoms without also healing the underlying causes of those symptoms is like injecting anesthetic to numb a broken leg, but never setting it.
CPTSD, PTSD and BPD are all strongly correlated to trauma. Addressing the symptoms the person is experiencing and the causes of those symptoms is far more important than arguing about a diagnostic label.
Until people feel safe in their skin as well as their environment, they will continue to experience symptoms.
NOTE: VIDEOS are NOT a replacement for medical advice or counseling from a licensed professional, but for educational purposes.
Chapters:
00:00:00 – Complex PTSD vs PTSD
00:03:28 – Altered Threat Response System and Emotional Dysregulation
00:06:51 – Overlapping symptoms of PTSD, CPTSD, and BPD
00:10:01 – The Implications for Trauma Survivors
00:13:20 – Symptoms of Trauma
00:16:43 – Understanding the Impact of Trauma on Sleep
00:20:07 – Symptoms of CPTSD
00:23:19 – Understanding the Effects of Trauma
00:26:28 – The Impact of Trauma on Relationships
