The Symptoms of C-PTSD

Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) is a psychiatric condition brought upon by exposure to trauma. It differs from standard post-traumatic stress disorder because it comes from repeated, prolonged trauma rather than one single trauma. It is basically an anxiety disorder that is brought upon by how people react to their sustained trauma.

Avoidance

• People suffering from C-PTSD show avoidance. This is a method of avoiding further trauma by neglecting to get close to others. Someone with C-PTSD will withdraw from relationships, becoming cold, distant and generally unresponsive in order to avoid the risk of further trauma in the future. This results in unhappiness, which further-intensifies the C-PTSD.

Depression

• C-PTSD can often manifest itself as depression as the person affected is so traumatized that she has a hard time finding the energy to do anything. Depression also comes with feelings of hopelessness, inability to sleep and general self-loathing. These are all caused by complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

Anger

• C-PTSD sufferers express their anger in two vastly divergent manners. On one hand, they are occasionally extremely explosive, yelling and screaming at people for small slights or even perceived slights. On the other hand, a C-PTSD sufferer will sometimes inhibit his anger, keeping his thoughts in when they should be expressed. This is because of C-PTSD's effects on sufferers' emotions.

Perpetrator Preoccupation

• Complex post-traumatic stress usually comes from someone else, such as an abuser. This means that people suffering from C-PTSD will often get preoccupied with the person who caused them to have C-PTSD. This can manifest itself as a preoccupation with revenge, an idealization of the perpetrator or a perceived "special relationship" with the perpetrator.