How Complex Trauma Presents in Adults
The word "trauma" is thrown carelessly around by people who don't understand it. Most notably, it is used on social media to mock people who say they are "triggered" by something. However, trauma and triggers are very real, and they can impact someone tremendously.
The official clinical term for trauma is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Most people hear about it and immediately recognize it as something veterans of war or sexual abuse survivors experience. And most certainly, those are extreme examples of what causes PTSD. However, for any reason, anyone can be impacted by the effects of trauma.
Trauma happens in response to a distressing emotional or physical event. It is most associated with singular events such as car accidents, being the victim of a crime, or witnessing a natural disaster, just to name the "main ones."
But another type of trauma exists, complex trauma, or C-PTSD.
What Is C-PTSD?
C-PTSD occurs when someone has been exposed to multiple traumatizing events. These can occur over a small period or throughout someone's lifetime. Examples of events that cause C-PTSD are:
Medical trauma
Domestic violence
Childhood abuse
Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
Abduction/kidnapping
Living in a war zone
Living in an area prone to violence and crime
Symptoms of C-PTSD
The symptoms of C-PTSD are the same as PTSD. These symptoms include:
Difficulty sleeping/insomnia
Nightmares
Flashbacks
Problems with memory
Social isolation
Low self-esteem
Changes in appetite
Negative or intrusive thoughts
Stomach aches
Headaches
Muscle tension/pains
Dealing with these symptoms daily, for any amount of time, is extremely challenging. Then there is the emotional toll that trauma survivors experience.
How C-PTSD Presents In Adults
Adults who have experienced trauma can experience any combination of the symptoms above. Adults may also see past trauma manifest itself through specific issues.
Feeling Misunderstood
It's hard for another human being to comprehend the experiences that someone else has gone through. Especially when it comes to trauma, it's fair to say that a person going through C-PTSD will feel like no one will get it. And that is true to a degree.
However, even though someone may not fully grasp the experience, that doesn't mean they won't be sympathetic. Unfortunately, that doesn't make opening up about traumatizing experiences any easier. This is why adults will isolate themselves from social circles or their families.
Trust Issues
Adults who have gone through past trauma sometimes have trust issues, not just with other people but with the world around them.
When trauma happens because of a caregiver or another person, it can be challenging to trust anyone again. It's not that they think every single person will hurt them. Instead, it's more about the idea that they don't want to ever be in a position again where they are vulnerable.
Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation describes somebody's capability to respond to and manage emotional situations. When someone has C-PTSD, their emotional regulation skills are dramatically different.
Remember that earlier, we mentioned that trauma is a response to an emotional situation. Going through trauma will alter how someone responds to other situations, not just traumatic ones.
We'll take stress from work as a prime example. Someone who deals with C-PTSD will likely become easily agitated and stressed over anything and everything. Even the smallest of inconveniences can send their anxiety and stress levels through the roof, not because of the situation itself but just how their body has been conditioned to respond to stressful situations.
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If you or someone you know has C-PTSD, getting help as soon as possible is important. The effects of trauma very rarely go away on its own. If you want to learn more about C-PTSD, contact us to learn more about trauma therapy.