PTSD post-traumatic stress disorderand CPTSD Complex PTSD affect people in different ways impacting their emotions, thoughts, behaviours, and even physical health.  or both conditions stand from trauma, CPTSD is typically linked to prolonged or repeated trauma, such as childhood abuse, domestic violence, or captivity.  Here’s how they can affect people:

Emotional and Psychological Effects

Flashbacks and intrusive memories – sudden, distressing memories of the trauma they feel like they’re happening in the present.

Hyper vigilance and anxiety – constantly feeling on edge, scanning for danger, or being easily startled.

Depression and low self-esteem – persistent sadness, guilt, or shame, especially in CPTSD.

Emotional Dis regulation Emotional Dis regulation – difficulty controlling emotions, such as intense anger, fear, or sadness.

Dissociation – feeling detached from reality, like watching oneself from outside the body.

Nightmares and sleep issues – frequent disturbing dreams related to the trauma.

Behavioural Effects

Avoidance – steering clear of places, people, or situations that trigger trauma related memories.

Self-destructive behaviours – engaging in risky activities, substance abuse, or self harm as c oping mechanism.

Memory problems – gaps in memory, especially around the trauma.

Physical  Effects

Chronic Pain and Fatigue Chronic Pain and Fatigue  – unexplained pain, headache, headaches, or stomach issues due to prolonged stress.

Weakened Immune System – more susceptibility to illness.

CPTSD– specific effects

In addition to PTSD symptoms, CPTSD often includes:

Deep feelings of shame and guilt – a pervasive sense of being bad or unworthy.

Difficulty with relationships – struggles with intimacy, fear of abandonment, or unhealthy attachment patterns.

A distorted sense of identity – feeling like you don’t know who you are or having a fragmented self image.

Both PTSD and C PTSD can be extremely challenging, but treatment – such as therapy (EMDR, CBT, DBT), medication, and support groups – can help individuals manage symptoms and heal

Professional treatment

Their options:

EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing – memories so their less distressing.

CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) – focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns.

DVT (dialectical behaviour therapy – useful for emotional regulation and distress tolerance, especially for CPTSD.

Internal family system therapy – helps process trauma by working with different parts of self.

Medication

SSRI/SNRI (example Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor) – can help with anxiety and depression.

Pazosin – sometimes prescribed to reduce nightmares.

Mood stabilises or antipsychotics – used in some cases especially for CTTSD – related emotional dysregulation

Coping strategies for daily life

Grounding techniques (for flashbacks and dissociation)

5–4– 3–2 – 1 Method – 95 things you see, four things you feel, three things you hear, two things you smell, one thing you taste.

Cold sensations – holding ice, splashing cold water on your face, or using peppermint oil can help bring you back to the present.

Deep breathing – try box breathing: inhaling for four seconds, halt for four, exhale for four, hold for four.

Managing Hypervigilance and Anxiety.

Safe space – create a place in your home where you feel secure.

Routine and structure – predictability can help reduce feeling of chaos.

Triggers when possible – identify and limit exposure to specific triggers.

healing from emotional dysregulation and shame.

• Self compassion exercise exercises – talk to yourself the way you would talk
• Journalling – write about feelings, but also about things that bring joy or hope.

Building healthy relationship relationships:

• Setting boundaries – learn to say no without guilt.
• Connecting with support people – find friends, family, or support groups who understand trauma.
• The therapeutic relationship relationships – a good therapist can model what safe relationship looks like.

Body based healing for trauma:

•  Yoga and tai chi – helps release trauma stored in the body.
• Exercise walking strength training, dancing reduces stress hormones.
• Progressive muscle relaxation – tense and relax each muscle group to release tension.

Support System and Resources

PTSD and CPTSD support groups – online or in person groups like the mighty or complex PTSD foundation.

Books:

T he body keeps the score by Bessel van der Kolk.

Complex PTSD: from surviving to thriving by Peter Walker.

What my bones know by Steph personal CPTSD memoir.

Apps

PTSD coach by the VA.

insight timer for guided meditations.

Remember Healing Takes Time But Progress Is Possible.

Are you suffering with complex PTSD?

If you have been  diagnosed with complex PTSD it can be a very debilitating diagnosis that can sometimes cause the person to feel completely overwhelmed and unsure exactly what it means. If this is you then you’re in the right place.

SYMPTOMS

Some of the symptoms that you may be experiencing are frustration, anger, or hyper-vigilance where you are frightened, nervous or anxious in regard to certain places or people that may be around you. Stay in your room and isolate yourself, unable sleep and night terrors, If we look at the symptoms of anger and frustration many times people are judged as being angry or having an anger problem. The hyper-vigilance part of  COMPLEX PTSD or PTSD is that the body and the mind are constantly on high alert.  Your mind is always looking to see if there’s any danger or concerns in your environment, which environment may feel safe and which environments don’t feel safe. All of these emotions, the frustration and the anger and hyper-vigilance use quite a bit of adrenaline.

IS THERE A CERTAIN AGE PEOPLE EXPERIENCE PTSD OR CPTSD

Any person who experiences traumatic events from during childbirth, childhood through to teen years and then into their adult life, survivors of domestic violence can feel the symptoms of hyper vigilance, anxiety, stress, frustration and anger.  it is important to remember to take some time each day to relax your body and your mind and try to bring down the level of hyper-vigilance frustration and anger.  Many people believe that PTSD or complex PTSD is always an incident that was either life-threatening, sexual assault, being robbed at knife point, or any major incident that may occur however it can be something that’s not so serious such as being forgotten to be picked up from school as a child.  Also if there are incidents where you arrive home and the family are not there, they’re running late due to traffic which has kept them held up somewhere.  If this consistently happens it can cause a person to feel overwhelmed frightened not sure about what’s happening and and therefore not feel safe and secure in their environment.

SUPPORT

Each person deals with stress and anxiety in completely different ways. What may affect others on a high level of stress may not affect the next person each individual is different therefore it’s important that each case is treated individually and not all treated the same way by the Counselling  Practitioner or the GP.  It’s important that when somebody seeks help in regards to the symptoms they are experiencing that they feel heard and listen to.  if someone is trying to tell you there is something going on within their body or their mind and they’re not sure what they’re feeling, please don’t just dismiss what they’re saying and just listen and assure them that they are safe within their environment, calmly speak to them and ask them to take some deep breaths if they are hyperventilating breathing too quickly and feeling completely overwhelmed.  if at any time you feel that the person is in need of help, or may need some medical attention, offer them that support and ask them if they would like to be taken to the hospital or to see their GP.  Anyone feeling the emotions and suffering with PTSD or complex PTSD it is important that they feel safe and secure discussing their issues and the symptoms they’re feeling in a safe place where they won’t feel judged. PTSD or complex. PTSD does not only exist within their immediate family. It could be a friend or or a colleague from work who feel safe to be able to discuss with you whatever they are experiencing.  There is important that no matter where the person is from whether it’s family work or friends that you listen and just support them with with whatever emotion they are experiencing.  You may need to ask them what they need at that moment.  Ask if ther is anyone you can call for them, or would they like to be taken to the hospital or to the GP.  Supporting the person with PTSD was complex PTSD in which ever way they need is imperative to their healing journey as they need to feel they have a choice.  listen them and offer them offering a shoulder to cry on if that’s what they need.