To a casual observer, it may appear to be straightforward to recognize a traumatic event. Unfortunately, trauma — especially complex trauma — is far more complex than that. It’s difficult to quantify but it’s possible that trauma more often arrives in the form of insidious, long-term experiences than one big blow like a hurricane or car accident. Recognizing c-ptsd in these scenarios can be crucial for healing. Recognizing c-ptsd is essential to understanding your emotional landscape.
Sustained events — like enduring abuse, neglect, or domestic violence — can result in ongoing trauma. Meanwhile, the events themselves and the symptoms they cause are not clearly identifiable. This is why we call it complex trauma. Even the survivors can lack clarity about the causes and effects. They can be living with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) and not even know it, making recognizing c-ptsd all the more important. Recognizing c-ptsd can be a turning point in the healing journey.
Complex Events Can Cause Complex Trauma
Of course, each person will react to external events in their own way. What traumatizes one individual may not seriously affect another. Even so, there are several experiences that most typically increase the risk of complex trauma. These include:
- Abuse of any kind, e.g. emotional, physical, medical, sexual (incest), and domestic violence
- Living or serving in a war zone
- Being kidnapped, enslaved, tortured, trafficked, or prostituted
- Enduring abandonment and/or neglect
- When a child is forced to take on adult roles
Often, it’s not about the precise experiences but rather, the circumstances surrounding the events. C-PTSD becomes a great possibility when it happens during childhood, multiple traumas are present, you were betrayed by someone you know, and no method of escape is present.
But how do you know if such experiences have led to C-PTSD?
Recognizing C-PTSD: How to Know If You’re Living with Complex Trauma
Recognizing c-ptsd is the first step toward recovery. Awareness can lead to healing.
Some of the most common signs of trauma (complex or otherwise) are:
- Intrusive thoughts
- Flashbacks and nightmares
- Hyper-vigilance
- Dissociation
- Social isolation
- General avoidance
- Memory loss
- Sleep issues
- Emotional dysregulation
- Feelings of helplessness and low self-worth
With complex trauma, these general symptoms can transform into chronic issues like:
Ultimately, recognizing c-ptsd lays the foundation for healing.
- Feeling That No One “Gets” You: You believe that no one, not even loved ones, could ever understand what you’ve been through, and thus, they don’t understand you.
- Lack of Trust: Betrayal is a common aspect of complex trauma. It can cause someone to feel unsafe at all times and feel unwilling to trust others.
- Shame: This sign is particularly prevalent in those who endured neglect, abandonment, or sexual abuse. Survivors may struggle with a belief that they are to blame and somehow “deserve” such treatment.
Your Signs Can Also Be Somatic
C-PTSD often brings about negative physical sensations — especially when dealing with flashbacks. Some examples of such somatic symptoms are:
Recognizing c-ptsd and its symptoms can help you regain control over your life.
- Digestive disturbances
- Debilitating fatigue
- Chronic aches and pins without an obvious cause
- Palpitations
- Body tremors
- Relentless muscle tension as if bracing oneself
Sensations like this can feel like physical reminders of what you survived.
Getting the Help You Need and Deserve
This may sound dire and make no mistake, complex trauma is serious business. But effective treatments are available and recovery is within your grasp. Some of the therapeutic options are somatic approaches, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT).
In summary, recognizing c-ptsd is crucial for anyone who suspects they have experienced complex trauma.
Powerful, proven modalities like these will be combined with self-help steps to move you along on the path toward healing. You may be guided to practice meditation, breathing exercises, movements like yoga and dance, journaling, and being in nature. Regular sleep patterns, healthy eating choices, and daily exercise are indispensable.
There’s plenty to process when it comes to resolving complex trauma and managing C-PTSD. Working with a trauma-informed specialist is a proven choice for anyone amid such a challenge. Reach out to learn more about trauma therapy. I’d love to talk more about all of this with you.
If you find yourself struggling with your past and suspect recognizing c-ptsd might apply to you, don’t hesitate to reach out for help.
