{"id":100461,"date":"2018-11-15T11:00:08","date_gmt":"2018-11-15T11:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=100461"},"modified":"2023-03-14T04:49:11","modified_gmt":"2023-03-14T04:49:11","slug":"what-is-complex-ptsd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-complex-ptsd.htm","title":{"rendered":"What is Complex PTSD and do You Have It?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_100463\" style=\"width: 283px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-100463\" class=\"wp-image-100463 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/1790592784_5a460fd1ff-1-273x400.jpg\" alt=\"complex ptsd\" width=\"273\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/1790592784_5a460fd1ff-1-273x400.jpg 273w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/1790592784_5a460fd1ff-1.jpg 341w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 273px) 100vw, 273px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-100463\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/8463160@N08\/1790592784\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\" \">COCOMARIPOSA<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #333399;\">by Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Complex PTSD (CPTSD or c-PTSD) is a <\/strong>relatively new diagnosis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">It describes the experience of those who suffered<strong><em> ongoing and inescapable trauma that has left them with long\u2014term emotional, mental, and physical side effects.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What is complex PTSD? <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-psychological-trauma.htm\">Psychological trauma<\/a> and its treatment is a field of psychology that is really only starting to come into its own. There is still a lot to understand, and there is ongoing controversy. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\" style=\"color: #800080;\">Complex trauma is currently one of these controversies. It is not yet fully accepted by all medical communities that those who suffered ongoing trauma or traumas, usually in childhood, would have symptoms different than those who experienced a single trauma.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>In the USA &#8216;complex PTSD&#8217; is not an official diagnosis,\u00a0<\/strong>although the latest version of their diagnostic manual, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-the-dsm.htm\">the DSM-V<\/a>, does hint at a possible set of other symptoms.\u00a0 The closest diagnosis here is<\/span><span class=\"s1\">\u00a0&#8220;disorders of extreme stress not otherwise specified (DESNOS)&#8221;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>\u00a0Here in the UK there is also work to be done<\/strong>. The National Guideline for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) still refuses to recognise complex PTSD, even as the NHS itself has recently added a page about it to their website. You might instead be given a diagnosis from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-the-icd-10.htm\">the World Health Organisation&#8217;s manual the ICD-10<\/a> called\u00a0&#8220;enduring personality change after catastrophic experience (EPCACE)&#8221;.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Complex Trauma vs PTSD <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">So how exactly is complex trauma different than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-counselling-london.htm\">post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)<\/a>? <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">it is a product of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-are-adverse-childhood-experiences-aces.htm\">ongoing, chronic trauma<\/a> or traumas instead of one big trauma<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">the victim could not escape the trauma (a child can\u2019t go live on his or her own) <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">often <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-can-i-remember-childhood-trauma-abuse.htm\">the trauma was in childhood <\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">the perpetrator is in many cases known to the victim or someone they were close to. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_100464\" style=\"width: 345px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-100464\" class=\" wp-image-100464\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/36132648724_8c74a2d37e-400x400.jpg\" alt=\"complex ptsd\" width=\"335\" height=\"335\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/36132648724_8c74a2d37e-400x400.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/36132648724_8c74a2d37e-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/36132648724_8c74a2d37e.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/36132648724_8c74a2d37e-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/36132648724_8c74a2d37e-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-100464\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/40441865@N08\/36132648724\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\" \">Mitchell Haindfield<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Symptoms of Complex Trauma <\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>Complex trauma does share the same symptoms as PTSD<\/strong> (read about them in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/ptsd-asd-help-guide.htm\">Guide to PTSD<\/a>). <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>The difference is that it also involves a set of other emotional symptoms that can include<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-emotional-dsyregulation.htm\">emotional \u2018dysregulation\u2019<\/a> (you struggle to control your emotions)<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/trusting-others-hard.htm\">trust issues<\/a><span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>&#8211;<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>you don\u2019t trust the world, others, or even yourself <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/relationship-counselling-london.htm\">relating difficulties<\/a> &#8211; you find relationships so hard you might even avoid them entirely <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/why-do-i-feel-hopeless.htm\">hopelessness<\/a> &#8211; you don\u2019t think you\u2019ll ever change or that life will ever get better<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/connecting-with-people.htm\">disconnection<\/a> &#8211; nobody can understand you and you feel totally different than everyone else<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/low-self-esteem-counselling-london.htm\">low self-esteem<\/a> &#8211; you feel so worthless you might even often consider suicide. <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/who-am-i-identity-crisis.htm\">identity issues<\/a> &#8211; uncertain who you really are <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cemotional\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/flashback-vs-hallucination-vs-delusion.htm\">flashbacks<\/a> &#8211; instead of remembering images, you might be hit by states of emotion that don\u2019t match what is going around you in the present but arise from the past. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s1\">Why You? The Causes of CPTSD<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s1\">Again, c-PTSD develops after a trauma that is <em>repetitive, lasts over time, and from which there is really no escape<\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">So the types of trauma that lead to complex PTSD are things like: <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"p3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/abuse-counselling-london.htm\"><span class=\"s1\">child sexual abuse<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s1\">physical abuse and neglect<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p3\">ongoing psychological abuse<\/li>\n<li class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s1\">having to witness ongoing abuse or violence of another <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s1\">relationships that involve chronic abuse and violence<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s1\">kidnappings, hostage taking, prisoner of war<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s1\">human trafficking and slavery<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s1\">being forced to be a sex worker <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s1\">cult membership.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_100465\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-100465\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-100465\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/2315642518_8287ebdccd-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"c-ptsid\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/2315642518_8287ebdccd-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/2315642518_8287ebdccd.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-100465\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/42042512@N00\/2315642518\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\" \">Carlos Ebert<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"p6\">Misdiagnosis of complex PTSD<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p6\"><span class=\"s1\">The biggest issues here is a misdiagnosis of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/personality-disorder-counselling-london.htm\">borderline personality disorder (BPD)<\/a>. The two share many symptoms such as<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/negative-thoughts.htm\"> low self-worth<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/managing-suicidal-thoughts.htm\">suicidal thinking<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-emotional-dsyregulation.htm\">out of control emotional responses<\/a>.<\/span><span class=\"s1\">\u00a0And both can be linked to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/i-think-i-was-abused-as-a-child.htm\">child sexual abuse. <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>It is possible to have both borderline personality disorder and c-PTSD. But if you feel the<\/strong> treatment for BPD, focussing on the ways you relate and regulate your emotions, is not working, and you know you experienced trauma? It\u2019s worth looking into treatments for trauma as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What sorts of therapy can help with complex PTSD?<\/h2>\n<p><strong>You are an individual, so the therapy that works for you might not be quite right for another person. But one thing to consider is whether a type of therapy will<\/strong> &#8216;re-traumatise&#8217; you or not. Many people with complex PTSD find talk therapies that ask them about their past make their symptoms worse, not better.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The best advice here is to first use therapies that help you stabilise your emotions and triggers.<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-london.htm\">Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)<\/a> is evidence-based as a treatment for PTSD and can help with this. You might also have some success with another treatment for PTSD,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/emdr-therapy.htm\">eye movement desensitisation and reprogramming (EMDR)<\/a>, although its usually just suggested for singular, distinct traumas. Other things to look into are body psychotherapies and hypnotherapy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Once you are more in control of your emotions and thoughts, you might want to try a talk therapy that goes deeper into your traumatic experiences,<\/strong> and helps you with the ways you relate to others. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/schema-therapy-london.htm\">Schema therapy<\/a> is recommended here if you experienced abuse from a family member. It focuses on creating a strong relationship of trust between you and your therapist.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"p1\">What if my country won&#8217;t diagnose complex PTSD?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><strong>While any one who actually suffers complex PTSD will find it strange that<\/strong>\u00a0someone would feel it was not a real experience, psychological terms are sadly often not accepted until they are \u2018proven\u2019 by research.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>If you live in a country that does not recognise complex PTSD as a diagnosis, look for<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-makes-a-good-therapist.htm\">a therapist who is willing to treat you as an individual<\/a> with your own unique set of issues, who has experience with trauma victims, and who is interested in the issue, &#8216;official&#8217; diagnosis aside.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Need to talk to a therapist experienced with complex PTSD? We connect you with some of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">London&#8217;s top therapists<\/a> in central locations. Outside London or even the UK? Find a therapist that suits your needs on <a href=\"https:\/\/harleytherapy.com\/?utm_source=Harley%20Therapy%20Blog&amp;utm_content=Post%20End\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">our sister booking site<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-117271 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-150x150.png\" alt=\"Andrea M. Darcy mental health expert\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-50x50.png 50w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673.png 268w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>Andrea M. Darcy <\/b>is a mental health and wellbeing expert with training in person-centred counselling and coaching. She writes from experience about trauma, relationships, and ADHD, and works as a consultant helping people\u00a0 plan their perfect therapy journey. Find her on Instagram @am_darcy<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Andrea M. Darcy Complex PTSD (CPTSD or c-PTSD) is a relatively new diagnosis. It describes the experience of those who suffered ongoing and inescapable trauma that has left them with long\u2014term emotional, mental, and physical side effects. What is complex PTSD? Psychological trauma and its treatment is a field of psychology that is really [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":100463,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[70,79,410],"class_list":["post-100461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anxiety-and-stress","tag-post-traumatic-stress-disorder","tag-ptsd","tag-trauma","has_thumb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is Complex PTSD and do You Have It? - Harley Therapy\u2122 Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is complex ptsd? 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