Ptsd or cptsd

[swiftgoose]

Hi all,

First post here so be gentle.  I was diagnosed with ptsd last year and went through a treatment program but I am still struggling every day.  I came across this site looking for help and I think I might have cptsd.  But im wondering how because of how it developed.  My trauma is abuse and related to a police officer that had power over me for 2 years when I was young.  Memories recently surfaced after many years due to another trauma and interaction with police.  I'm wondering if this makes sense for cpdst.  I feel like im going crazy and had seen many others in my program get better but I feel I'm stuck.  Help and advice appreciated.

oh man these verifications are so hard.

[Three Roses]

Hello and welcome, swiftgoose!

I was diagnosed with ptsd in 2012 or thereabouts. I attempted to do therapy and workbooks designed for people with ptsd and experienced a worsening of my symptoms.

I started researching and stumbled upon this site. I read voraciously and found such deep validation in seeing that, most likely, I had complex ptsd. An entirely different animal.

The name similarities are so confusing. A lot of us here refer instead to having relational trauma response for that reason (and a few more ).

In my research I learned that cases of cptsd far outnumber cases for ptsd (also known as simple ptsd). The word "simple" here refers to a singular injury causing a traumatic stress disorder, just as the word "complex" refers to multiple injuries over time (and not that it's more complicated than ptsd).

If you're interested in reading more, there are a couple of books that many here have found indispensable. One is "The Body Keeps The Score" by Bessel van der Kolk, who is recognized as one of the world's leading researchers in the effects of trauma on the human brain.

The other is "CPTSD: From Surviving to Thriving", by Pete Walker, a therapist and survivor of childhood abuse. He also has a website that contains much of what his book covers. http://pete-walker.com

And, here's one more link that explains the difference between the two. https://www.talkspace.com/blog/complex-ptsd-versus-standard-ptsd/

Glad you're here!

[Kizzie]

Hi and a warm welcome Swiftgoose   

Three Roses gave you some great info     Just wanted to add a link about the symptoms of PTSD versus CPTSD - https://www.outofthestorm.website/symptoms. 

[sigiriuk]

Hi SwiftGoose

Welcome to the forum. I hope you will feel safe here, and start healing, as I have done with the help of other people here.

cPTSD can seem difficult to understand.
PTSD happens after one incident usually - eg car crash
cPTSD occurs after lots of traumas, sometimes in adulthood, sometimes in childhood, or sometimes throughout one's life.

The effects of "lots of trauma" if different from PTSD. cPTSD means that I have trouble managing my emotions, managing my thinking, Horrible feelings sometimes appear out of nowhere. The feeling that I am a nasty person is also the result of experiencing trauma.

Lots of trauma means "when people do things to you that they shouldn't have".

I am learning to manage these things every day, and I am beginning to heal.

This site gave me the chance to do this.

Slim

[Rainagain]

Swiftgoose,

As you mention that the trauma went on for years cptsd is quite likely I think.

I have been diagnosed by different psychiatrists as having both, but that maybe because not all of them recognise cptsd as a separate diagnosis where I am from, it's a bit of a muddle.

Keep posting, it's a useful part of getting some understanding and some control, that has been my experience on here.

[sigiriuk]

It is difficult to bill for cPTSD....and in the UK, even though we pay for healthcare in our taxes, doctors need to code it.
So they will use PTSD or borderline personality disorder.

[Not Alone]

Just want to welcome you. 

[owl25]

Hi Swiftgoose, I'm sorry you are struggling, but glad you found this place. Another term for cPTSD is relational trauma, and I think if one is trapped in a situation where there is no escape and you are continually  being harmed by another human being in that situation, then you are experiencing relational trauma. It would not surprise me if you ended up with cPTSD. It may start to make more sense (or not) for you as you go through all the resources this site provides.  Welcome