Article about Complex PTSD & Life Skills in Psychology Today Jan 2022

[Hope67]

'5 Valuable Life Skills often Learned by Those with Complex PTSD' is an article in Psychology Today written by Jennifer Lock Oman on 4th January 2022.

Here is a link to the article:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/knowing-feeling/202201/5-valuable-life-skills-often-learned-those-complex-ptsd

Hope 

[Kizzie]

Tks for this Hope    When I read articles like this I feel like professionals are starting to get why relational trauma is so utterly devastating. This particular excerpt captures the core wound/dilemma IMO: 

A child managing this complex attachment trauma is, quite literally, put in the dilemma of having to choose between his psychic and physical well-being and his critical connection with the adult(s) in his life. To a child, it feels like survival. The seriousness of this dilemma cannot be underestimated. In many ways, it is survival — physical, emotional, intellectual, and psychic.

I've had a few eyebrows raised (perceived/for real) when I say/write that children of relational trauma fear death but this explains why many of us say this.

All five of the life skills she discusses fit me to a "T".  I particularly like this under "Functioning well through a lot of distress":

They can overestimate their ability to tolerate distressing events and then become "blindsided" with overwhelming feelings they don't see coming. The value in this is when they learn to notice when they're distressed, they can regulate it better.

It's where I'm currently at in terms of recovery.

[CactusFlower]

#3 really resonated with me. I've always said that in a crisis or emergency, I will do what needs to be done, take charge, etc... then fall apart later. It's very interesting all the things I'm finding out are trauma responses that I just used to think were normal.

[paul72]

thank you for sharing this, Hope
Yeah , boy oh boy, those resonate.... interesting to read.. thank you