Do you know the difference between PTSD and C-PTSD?
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and C-PTSD (Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) both result from trauma, but they differ in the nature of the trauma and how it affects the individual.
Let’s begin by breaking down of the differences by definition:
PTSD: Typically caused by a single, short-term traumatic event such as a natural disaster, car accident, assault, or witnessing violence. It's often linked to events that have a clear start and end. It often stems from a single event and focuses on reliving or avoiding that trauma.
C-PTSD: Results from prolonged or repeated trauma, usually during childhood, in situations where escape isn't possible. This includes experiences like childhood abuse, neglect, domestic violence, or being held captive. It is linked to chronic trauma, leading to more complex emotional, relational, and self-identity issues.
What are the differences in symptoms?
Now that we understand the difference by definition. Let’s break down the difference in the symptoms.
PTSD symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, or intrusive memories of the traumatic event. Avoidance of triggers associated with the trauma. hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, or being easily startled. It also includes negative changes in mood or cognition (e.g., guilt, shame, feeling detached).
In addition to the symptoms of PTSD, C-PTSD includes:
Emotional regulation difficulties: Difficulty managing emotions, often feeling intense anger, sadness, or fear.
Negative self-concept: Persistent feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or shame, often stemming from early experiences.
Interpersonal difficulties: Problems with relationships, including difficulties trusting others, feeling isolated, or an excessive focus on pleasing others.
Dissociation: Feeling detached from reality or one's own self as a way to cope with chronic trauma. It also includes chronic feelings of emptiness or hopelessness.
What is the Impact on Relationships?
PTSD: May affect relationships due to avoidance or hypervigilance, but is more related to the trauma itself.
C-PTSD: The chronic nature of the trauma, especially if it occurred in early childhood, can deeply affect how an individual forms and maintains relationships, often leading to difficulties with trust, intimacy, and boundaries.
What are the differences in the Treatment?
PTSD: Treatment usually involves trauma-focused therapies like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic-based therapies and sometimes medication to manage symptoms.
C-PTSD: Treatment is more complex and may include addressing the deep-seated emotional and relational impacts. In addition to trauma-focused therapies, interventions focus on improving emotional regulation, self-esteem, and relationship skills.
C-PTSD is under recognized in the United States. September is C-PTSD Awareness Month and we want to help educate our community on the impact of CPTSD. Both PTSD and C-PTSD are serious and can greatly affect a person’s quality of life, but the chronic nature of C-PTSD often requires more comprehensive treatment.
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