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PTSD Awareness: The Truth About Trauma

Updated: Jul 10



the truth about ptsd.

PTSD Awareness Starts Here: The Truth About Trauma, the Nervous System, and Healing.


In honor of PTSD Awareness Month, it's time we expand our understanding beyond the surface. Not all trauma looks the same, and not all recovery journeys follow the same path.

Whether you're someone navigating trauma recovery or supporting a loved one, this blog will help you better understand:✅ The difference between PTSD and Complex PTSD (CPTSD)✅ How trauma affects the nervous system✅ What recovery and healing actually look like


What Is PTSD?


Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying or life-threatening event. This could include events such as:


  • Combat or war

  • Sexual or physical assault

  • Natural disasters

  • Serious accidents

  • Sudden loss of a loved one


Common symptoms of PTSD include:


  • Flashbacks or intrusive memories

  • Nightmares

  • Hypervigilance

  • Emotional numbing

  • Avoidance of triggers or reminders

  • Feelings of guilt, shame, or detachment


People with PTSD often know who they were before the trauma and experience a sense of disruption to that former self. Recovery often focuses on helping them return to that baseline—reclaiming what was lost.



What Is CPTSD (Complex PTSD)?


Complex PTSD (CPTSD) results from prolonged, repeated trauma—especially during childhood or in environments where the person had little to no control or escape.

Examples include:


  • Chronic childhood abuse or neglect

  • Domestic violence

  • Human trafficking

  • Religious or institutional abuse

  • Repeated exposure to abandonment or betrayal


Symptoms of CPTSD include all the core symptoms of PTSD, plus:


  • Deeply rooted shame and guilt

  • Difficulty with emotional regulation

  • Persistent negative self-beliefs (“I’m unlovable” or “I’m broken”)

  • Difficulty trusting others or maintaining relationships

  • A disrupted or unclear sense of identity


CPTSD doesn’t just disrupt a life—it shapes it.Many people with CPTSD never had a stable sense of self to “return to” because their trauma occurred during the years that identity was supposed to be forming.



Why Knowing the Difference Matters


Understanding the difference between PTSD and CPTSD isn’t about comparing which is “worse”—it’s about offering trauma-informed, personalized support.

Someone healing from a car crash may need different therapeutic tools than someone healing from years of emotional neglect.Recognizing this helps therapists, family members, and survivors themselves to offer appropriate care and compassion.



The Role of the Nervous System in PTSD & CPTSD


One of the most misunderstood aspects of trauma is that it lives in the body, not just the mind.


When we experience trauma, our nervous system activates survival responses:


  • Fight: Confronting danger

  • Flight: Escaping danger

  • Freeze: Shutting down or becoming immobile

  • Fawn: People-pleasing to stay safe


Over time, if trauma is not processed, these responses get stuck. This is why many trauma survivors experience:


  • Chronic fatigue

  • Anxiety or panic attacks

  • Digestive issues

  • Autoimmune flare-ups

  • Sleep problems

  • Emotional numbness or emotional flooding


Nervous system dysregulation is not a character flaw—it's a survival response that hasn’t yet completed its cycle.



How Do You Heal from PTSD and CPTSD?


Healing from trauma is not about “getting over it.” It’s about reconnecting with your body, creating safety, and slowly re-regulating your nervous system over time.

Here are key components of trauma recovery:


1. Trauma-Informed Therapy


Look for therapists trained in:


  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

  • Somatic Experiencing

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

  • Polyvagal Theory approaches


Therapy helps process the trauma narrative and works with the nervous system to rewire responses to perceived threats.


2. Nervous System Regulation Tools


These practices help create safety in the body:


  • Grounding techniques (5-4-3-2-1 method)

  • Breathwork (especially long exhales)

  • Gentle movement like yoga or walking

  • Vagal nerve stimulation (humming, cold water exposure)

  • Rest and stillness (yes, your body needs it!)


3. Community and Connection


Trauma often leaves people feeling isolated or ashamed. Healing happens best in safe, supportive relationships where people are seen, believed, and accepted.


4. Self-Compassion and Patience


Healing is not linear. You may take two steps forward and one step back, and that’s okay.Treat yourself with the kindness and patience you’d offer a dear friend.



The Truth About Recovery: You Deserve to Feel Safe Again


Whether you are living with PTSD or CPTSD, your pain is valid. You are not too damaged. You are not beyond healing.And you don’t have to do it alone.


It’s okay to rest. It’s okay to grieve what you lost—or what you never had.And it’s more than okay to hope for a life filled with peace, connection, and purpose.



Your Healing Journey Matters


If you or someone you love is living with symptoms of PTSD or CPTSD, don’t wait to seek support. Healing is possible, and it’s never too late to begin.


✅ Start by finding a trauma-informed therapist

✅ Build your toolbox of nervous system regulation strategies

✅ Share this post to raise awareness and offer hope to others


You are not broken. You are healing. And that is incredibly brave.

 
 
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