I have already stated the differences between PTS and PTSD here. Today, we are going to learn how PTSD is different from Complex PTSD. My name is Jen Stuart, I’m a Trauma Sensitive Yoga practitioner and, if you are dealing with any of these conditions or have someone in your life that is, this short article is for you.

What is PTSD?

While PTS (Post Traumatic Stress) is a normal response after experiencing a traumatic event (such as a natural disaster, a burglary, witnessing a crime or other intense events, knowing someone close faced a traumatic event, etc.), PTSD is a psychiatric disorder. The common PTSD symptoms are:

• Intrusive thoughts about the traumatic event that don’t go away.
• Re-experiencing the trauma vividly through nightmares, flashbacks, etc.
• Feeling triggered by anything related to the traumatic event such as smells, sounds, places, among others.
• Blocking the traumatic event and avoiding everything related to it.
• Feeling restless, having insomnia, being irritable.

The symptoms last for a long time and are intense. PTSD is often accompanied by other conditions, such as anxiety disorder and panic attacks. If you are willing to learn more about what PTSD is, please read this article where I break it down.

What is Complex PTSD?

credit : @peoplebypierre

Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, called Complex PTSD as well, is the result of frequent exposition to multiple traumatic events that the person was not able to avoid. This creates a very intense feeling of hopelessness, immersing the person in a state of resignation.

The term was first coined by Judith Herman in her book Trauma & Recovery. Complex PTSD emerged as a diagnosis for people who suffered repetitive physical or emotional abuse during a long period of time. Herman was mainly referring to people who were sexually abused or neglected during the early stages of their lives, but it’s not limited to them. 

Who can suffer from Complex PTSD?

Anyone who has been exposed to chronic abuse can suffer from Complex PTSD, such as:

• Refugees. In fact, there are studies about Complex PTSD in Syrian refugees
• War prisoners
• People who experienced physical and/or emotional abuse during their childhood or were neglected
• People who suffered from domestic abuse
• Victims of human trafficking
• People who live in war zones
• People who suffered any type of slavery

Complex PTSD vs. PTSD

It can be a little difficult to diagnose Complex PTSD because many of its symptoms overlap with the ones of PTSD. The main differences between these two conditions are:

• Loss of faith: Victims of long-term and frequent abuse are often incapable of escaping their aggressors. Maybe they were afraid of leaving, or tried to run away but were stopped and punished, or they witnessed someone else failing their attempt to break free; as a result, they feel hopeless. Even after being finally in a safe place, they may still feel resigned to suffer and abandon the hope to live a happy life and to believe that there is something good or enjoyable for them.
• Dysfunctional self-perception: Although PTSD can also be accompanied by a distorted concept of oneself, people with Complex PTSD can feel worthless. The gap between their bodies and minds is greater due to the constant abuse, so they may not see themselves as worthy of help, happiness, love, and other positive feelings.
• A troubled relationship with the perpetrator(s): People can experience great fear when recollecting memories from their past that relate to the aggressors, or wish to have revenge. They can become obsessed with their aggressors, fearing them excessively or holding in a lot of hatred, which impacts their lives negatively. 
• Chronis mistrust: Developing relationships with others may be very difficult since people with Complex PTSD are always in a state of alert.

If you know someone who is battling with Complex PTSD or if you want to start your Complex PTSD recovery journey, please visit Journey with Jen and discover how Trauma Sensitive Yoga can empower you, make you regain control over your life, reconnect your body and mind, teach you how to step out from discomfort when you feel triggered, and much more.