Complex post-traumatic stress disorder is a more severe form of PTSD that develops after repeated trauma that continues for months or years at a time. A car accident is one event but in complex PTSD it is usually multiple and repeated events.
The types of traumatic events that can cause complex PTSD include:
- Repeatedly witnessing violence or any form of abuse
- childhood abuse, abandonment or even neglect
- chronic domestic violence or domestic abuse
- torture or kidnapping
You are more likely to develop complex PTSD if:
- you experienced trauma at an early age
- the trauma lasted for a long time
- escape or rescue was impossible or very unlikely (prisoner of war)
- you have experienced multiple traumas (sexual abuse and now in a new relationship with domestic violence)
- Being harmed by someone very close to you (trust)
Complex PTSD can have additional symptoms such as:
- difficulty controlling your emotions and behavior (impulsivity, sexually acting out, self destructive behavior, drugs and/or alcohol misuse)
- feeling very angry or distrustful towards the world
- constant feelings of hopelessness or being empty
- feeling as if you are permanently damaged, worthless and an altered view of personal identity
- feeling as if you are completely different compared to other people
- feeling like nobody can understand what you endured
- avoiding friendships, relationships or having chaotic personal relationships
- often experiencing dissociative symptoms such as depersonalization or derealization
- physical symptoms, such as headaches, Shortness of Breath, vertigo, dizziness, chest pains and stomach aches
- regular suicidal feelings