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What Are The Main Symptoms Of Complex PTSD?

July 28, 2014 12:39 pm , David Hosier MSc
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complex PTSD

Complex PTSD:

There has been some controversy regarding the difference between post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD amongst researchers.

During the early 1990s, the psychologist Judith Herman noted that individuals who had suffered severe, long-lasting, interpersonal trauma, ESPECIALLY IN EARLY LIFE, were frequently suffering from symptoms such as the following:

– disturbance in their view of themselves

– a marked propensity to seek out experiences and relationships which mirrored their original trauma

– severe difficulties controlling emotions and regulating moods

– identity problems/the loss of a coherent sense of self (click here to read my article on identity problems)

– a marked inability to develop trusting relationships

and, sometimes:

– adoption by the victim of the perpetrator’s belief system

Furthermore, some may go on to become abusers themselves, whilst others may be constantly compelled to seek out relationships with others who abuse them in a similar way to the original abuser (i.e. the parent or ‘care-taker’)

It is most unfortunate that, prior to the identification of the disorder that gives rise to the above symptoms, now referred to as complex PTSD, those suffering from the above symptoms were NOT recognized as having suffered from trauma and were therefore not asked about their childhood traumatic experiences during treatment. This meant, of course, that the chances of successful treatment were greatly reduced.

Research has now demonstrated that the effects of severe, long-lasting interpersonal trauma go above and beyond the symptoms caused by PTSD.

Complex PTSD Symptoms :

The main symptoms of complex PTSD are as follows:

1) severe dysregulation of mood

2) severe impulse control impairment

3) somatic (physical) symptoms (e.g. headaches, stomach aches, weakness/fatigue)

4) changes in self-perception (e.g. seeing self as deeply defective, ‘bad’ or even ‘evil‘)

5) severe difficulties relating to others, including an inability to feel emotionally secure or empowered in relationships

6) changes in perception of the perpetrator of the abuse (e.g. rationalizing their abuse/idealization of perpetrator)

7) inability to see any meaning in life and existential confusion

8) inability to keep oneself calm under stress/inability to ‘self-sooth’

9) impaired self-awareness/fragmented sense of self

10) pathological dissociation

The DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV) first named  complex PTSD as: DISORDER OF EXTREME STRESS NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED (DESNOS). Now, however, complex PTSD is listed as a SUB-CATEGORY of PTSD.

Whilst it is certainly true that there is an OVERLAP between the symptoms of PTSD and complex PTSD, many researchers now argue that PTSD and complex PTSD should be regarded as SEPARATE and DISTINCT disorders.

 

ALL OTHER ARTICLES RELATED TO COMPLEX PTSD :

  • Complex Trauma : Some Important, Lesser Known Facts
  • Why It Can Be So Hard To Talk About Our Traumatic Experiences
  • Why can Effects of Childhood Trauma be Delayed?
  • 3 Ways To Classify Trauma
  • Childhood Trauma: How The Child’s View Of Their Own ‘Badness’ Is Perpetuated.
  • Can New Drug Treatment Induce Memories And Feelings Of Safety In PTSD Sufferers?
  • Complex PTSD Risk Factors
  • Complex PTSD Treatment
  • Childhood Trauma and ‘Body Memories’.
  • Childhood Trauma Leading to Self-Hatred and Intense Self-Criticism
  • Childhood Trauma and PTSD – Facts and Fiction
  • Childhood Trauma: Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (with Questionnaire).
  • Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Misdiagnosis
  • Deep Feelings Of Shame Resulting From Emotionally Impoverished Relationships With Parents
  • Developmental Trauma
  • Disturbing Memories – Why They can Remain Unprocessed
  • Ego State Therapy For Treatment Pf Complex PTSD
  • Factors That Make Complex PTSD More Severe
  • Fight, Flight, Freeze or Fawn? Trauma Responses
  • Hartman’s 12 Stages Of PTSD
  • How Childhood Trauma Can Make Us Constantly Hypervigilant
  • How Childhood Trauma Can Profoundly Damage Our View Of Ourselves
  • How Does PTSD Develop?
  • How Does Trauma Affect Memory?
  • How PTSD Can Leave Us Feeling Unremittingly Exhausted.
  • How to Cope with Difficult Memories.
  • How Trauma Can Seriously Adversely Affect The Nervous System
  • Hypervigilance And Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Complex PTSD).
  • Neurocounseling And Its Relevance To Treating Complex-PTSD
  • Overcoming Feelings Of Shame With Counseling
  • Possible Physical Effects Of Complex PTSD
  • PTSD Checklist
  • PTSD Symptoms : Effect on the PTSD Sufferer’s Intimate Relationships
  • Recovery From Complex PTSD
  • Three Unconscious Psychological Defenses Against Inner Feelings Of Shame
  • Trauma And Memory
  • Trauma Release Exercises
  • Types Of Abuse
  • Types Of Childhood Trauma
  • Types Of Dissociative Amnesia In Complex PTSD
  • What Is The Difference Between BPD And Complex PTSD – A Study
  • What Is Psychic Numbing?
  • Why Complex PTSD Sufferers May Avoid Eye Contact
  • Yoga For Complex PTSD.

 

Above ebook now available from Amazon for immediate download.  Click here.

 

TO RETURN HOME TO ABOUT CHILDHOOD TRAUMA RECOVERY : CLICK HERE

David Hosier BSc Hons; MSc; PGDE(FAHE).

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Posted in: COMPLEX PTSD, WHOLE SITE (ALL 850+ ARTICLES) , Tagged: c-ptsd, complex ptsd, dissociation, existential confusion, feeling life is meaningless, fragmented sense of self, impulse control, symptoms of complex PTSD, what is complex PTSD

About David Hosier MSc

Holder of MSc and post graduate teaching diploma in psychology. Highly experienced in education. Founder of childhoodtraumarecovery.com. Survivor of severe childhood trauma.

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