Trauma. It’s a defining word that most of us can relate to on some level. Whatever age you might be, we’ve all experienced some level of emotional, physical or psychological trauma at some point in our lives.
Like all things in life, the trauma we’ve experienced has varied levels of impact, from the trauma of breaking up with your first girl or boyfriend, to losing a parent, or even as far as a violent attack. Each one of these traumatic events leaves some level of scarring, meaning that we can never truly forget what we’ve experienced.
Sometimes the trauma we experience is so great that we struggle to move on at all. These types of events trigger post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which can be debilitating to all those involved. Sadly, there are events that go a step further and can trigger Complex PTSD (C-PTSD).
What is Complex PTSD?
Simply put, it’s a more extreme version of PTSD. C-PTSD is generally diagnosed in patients who have experienced multiple, repeated traumatic events over a period of time. These types of events often include violence, neglect or abuse of some kind.
C-PTSD is also heightened if the traumatic event happened early in life, occurred over a prolonged period, or was caused by a parent, loved one or caretaker.
What are the symptoms of Complex PTSD?
Complex PTSD follows very similar lines to that of PTSD. This means that anyone suffering from it might experience:
- Difficulty controlling or understanding your emotions
- Isolating or cutting yourself off from friends and family
- Struggling to maintain healthy relationships
- Potential loss of attention and concentration
- Profound feelings of shame, guilt or regret
- Suicidal ideation or self-harm
- Physical manifestations such as headaches, chest pains, stomach aches and/or dizziness
- Destructive behaviour, including alcohol and drug abuse
Complex PTSD sufferers may also have enhanced symptoms of PTSD, such as:
- Extreme difficulty with self-esteem and self-worth
- Intense emotional dysfunction which can leave the sufferer feeling like they’re living in a dream
- Enter into or foster unhealthy or dysfunctional relationships
- A severe detachment from the traumatic experience
- An unhealthy fixation with the perpetrator of the abuse that led to the trauma
How can you treat Complex PTSD?
The idea of C-PTSD is relatively new and direct treatment still follows a very similar pattern to PTSD. Treatment may include:
- Medication such as anti-depressants and for anti-anxiety
- Cognitive behaviour therapy
- Exposure therapy
- Talk therapy
As health professionals learn more about C-PTSD, new treatment plans will emerge, such as Prolonged Exposure Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR).
We offer therapy from professionals – all you need to do is call
If you feel like you’re suffering from any form of mental distress, please reach out to a friend, family member or doctor for help immediately. If you’re a GetSavvi Health member, please remember that you’re part of our Member Wellness Programme, which gives you access to telephonic support, advice and counselling on a wide range of topics, including HIV, trauma and assault counselling.
If you’re not a GetSavvi Health member, please know that there are organisations that you can contact for help:
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) is Africa's largest mental health support and advocacy group. They’re committed to quality counselling, outreach and capacity building work throughout South Africa. Visit the SADAG website for a list of helplines.
You can also contact LifeLine South Africa for free counseling on 0861 32 23 22
References:
Living with complex PTSD
Complex PTSD - Post-traumatic stress disorder
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (complex PTSD)
What to Know About Complex PTSD and Its Symptoms