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Complex PTSD
by Robyn Artemis on 23rd November 2007, 5:16 pm
eMed TV
March 15, 2007 Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Complex PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is the result of long-term trauma lasting months or even years. Examples of situations that can cause the condition include concentration camps, POW camps, long-term domestic violence, and ongoing childhood sexual abuse. While research is still underway, a diagnosis of complex PTSD may be the best way to categorize the symptoms seen in people who have suffered prolonged trauma.
Overview of Complex PTSD
The diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) accurately describes the symptoms that result when a person experiences a short-lived trauma. For example, car accidents, natural disasters, and rape are considered traumatic events of time-limited duration.
Complex PTSD, however, is the result of long-term trauma. These are chronic traumas that continue for months or even years at a time.
The reason complex PTSD is separated from PTSD is that doctors and researchers have found that the current PTSD diagnosis often does not capture the severe psychological harm that occurs with such prolonged, repeated trauma. For example, ordinary, healthy people who experience chronic trauma can experience changes in their self-concept and the way they adapt to stressful events.
Complex PTSD and Captivity
During long-term traumas, the victim is generally held in a state of captivity. In these situations, the victim is under the control of the perpetrator and unable to flee.
Examples of captivity include:
Concentration camps
Prisoner of war camps
Prostitution brothels
Long-term domestic violence
Long-term, severe physical abuse
Child sexual abuse
Organized child exploitation rings.
Symptoms of Complex PTSD
The first requirement for a diagnosis of complex PTSD is a prolonged period (months to years) of total control by another. The other criteria include symptoms that tend to result from chronic victimization.
These symptoms of chronic PTSD include:
Changes in the ability to control emotions, which may include symptoms such as persistent sadness, suicidal thoughts, explosive anger, or inhibited anger.
Changes in consciousness, such as forgetting traumatic events, reliving traumatic events, or having episodes in which one feels detached from one's mental processes or body.
Changes in how the person views himself or herself, which may include a sense of helplessness, shame, guilt, stigma, and a sense of being completely different from other human beings.
Changes in how the person views the perpetrator, such as attributing total power to the perpetrator or becoming preoccupied with the relationship to the perpetrator, including a preoccupation with revenge.
Changes in relationships with others, including isolation, distrust, or a repeated search for a rescuer.
Changes in one's system of meanings, which may include a loss of sustaining faith or a sense of hopelessness and despair.
Complications Associated With Complex PTSD
Survivors may avoid thinking and talking about trauma-related topics because the feelings associated with the trauma are often overwhelming. They may use alcohol and substance abuse as a way to avoid and numb feelings and thoughts related to the trauma. Survivors may also engage in self-mutilation and other forms of self-harm.
There is a tendency to blame the victim in these situations. A person who has been abused repeatedly is sometimes mistaken as someone who has a "weak character." Because of their chronic victimization, in the past, survivors have been misdiagnosed by mental health providers as having borderline, dependent, or masochistic personality disorder. When survivors are faulted for the symptoms they experience as a result of victimization, they are being unjustly blamed.
Researchers hope that a new diagnosis of complex PTSD will prevent clinicians, the public, and those who suffer from trauma from mistakenly blaming survivors for their symptoms.
Complex PTSD: A Summary
The current PTSD diagnosis often does not capture the severe psychological harm that occurs with prolonged, repeated trauma. For example, long-term trauma may impact a healthy person's self-concept and adaptation. The symptoms of such prolonged trauma have been mistaken for character weakness, but this is an unjust characterization.
Research is currently underway to determine if the diagnosis of complex PTSD is the best way to categorize the symptoms seen in people who have suffered prolonged trauma.
March 15, 2007 Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Complex PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is the result of long-term trauma lasting months or even years. Examples of situations that can cause the condition include concentration camps, POW camps, long-term domestic violence, and ongoing childhood sexual abuse. While research is still underway, a diagnosis of complex PTSD may be the best way to categorize the symptoms seen in people who have suffered prolonged trauma.
Overview of Complex PTSD
The diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) accurately describes the symptoms that result when a person experiences a short-lived trauma. For example, car accidents, natural disasters, and rape are considered traumatic events of time-limited duration.
Complex PTSD, however, is the result of long-term trauma. These are chronic traumas that continue for months or even years at a time.
The reason complex PTSD is separated from PTSD is that doctors and researchers have found that the current PTSD diagnosis often does not capture the severe psychological harm that occurs with such prolonged, repeated trauma. For example, ordinary, healthy people who experience chronic trauma can experience changes in their self-concept and the way they adapt to stressful events.
Complex PTSD and Captivity
During long-term traumas, the victim is generally held in a state of captivity. In these situations, the victim is under the control of the perpetrator and unable to flee.
Examples of captivity include:
Concentration camps
Prisoner of war camps
Prostitution brothels
Long-term domestic violence
Long-term, severe physical abuse
Child sexual abuse
Organized child exploitation rings.
Symptoms of Complex PTSD
The first requirement for a diagnosis of complex PTSD is a prolonged period (months to years) of total control by another. The other criteria include symptoms that tend to result from chronic victimization.
These symptoms of chronic PTSD include:
Changes in the ability to control emotions, which may include symptoms such as persistent sadness, suicidal thoughts, explosive anger, or inhibited anger.
Changes in consciousness, such as forgetting traumatic events, reliving traumatic events, or having episodes in which one feels detached from one's mental processes or body.
Changes in how the person views himself or herself, which may include a sense of helplessness, shame, guilt, stigma, and a sense of being completely different from other human beings.
Changes in how the person views the perpetrator, such as attributing total power to the perpetrator or becoming preoccupied with the relationship to the perpetrator, including a preoccupation with revenge.
Changes in relationships with others, including isolation, distrust, or a repeated search for a rescuer.
Changes in one's system of meanings, which may include a loss of sustaining faith or a sense of hopelessness and despair.
Complications Associated With Complex PTSD
Survivors may avoid thinking and talking about trauma-related topics because the feelings associated with the trauma are often overwhelming. They may use alcohol and substance abuse as a way to avoid and numb feelings and thoughts related to the trauma. Survivors may also engage in self-mutilation and other forms of self-harm.
There is a tendency to blame the victim in these situations. A person who has been abused repeatedly is sometimes mistaken as someone who has a "weak character." Because of their chronic victimization, in the past, survivors have been misdiagnosed by mental health providers as having borderline, dependent, or masochistic personality disorder. When survivors are faulted for the symptoms they experience as a result of victimization, they are being unjustly blamed.
Researchers hope that a new diagnosis of complex PTSD will prevent clinicians, the public, and those who suffer from trauma from mistakenly blaming survivors for their symptoms.
Complex PTSD: A Summary
The current PTSD diagnosis often does not capture the severe psychological harm that occurs with prolonged, repeated trauma. For example, long-term trauma may impact a healthy person's self-concept and adaptation. The symptoms of such prolonged trauma have been mistaken for character weakness, but this is an unjust characterization.
Research is currently underway to determine if the diagnosis of complex PTSD is the best way to categorize the symptoms seen in people who have suffered prolonged trauma.
