Trauma: CPTSD symptoms and treatments

Unfortunately consistent trauma now called Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or CPTSD can cause a slew of symptoms. Sometimes these appear right away, months, or even years later.

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Overly alert/jumpiness

• Physical symptoms: Headaches, stomach aches, chest pains, dizziness, & fainting spells.

• Dissociative symptoms: Derealisation & depersonalisation.

• Difficulty controlling emotions.

• Feelings of anger & distrust towards the world

• Constantly feeling empty & hopeless

• Feelings of worthlessness

• Feeling as if you are permanently damaged

• Feeling like you are totally different to others

• Feeling like no one can comprehend or understand what you went through.

• Feeling suicidal regularly

• Finding relationships difficult & avoidance of friendships & relationships.

Causes of complex PTSD Traumatic events that can cause complex PTSD include:

• Childhood abuse, neglect, & abandonment

• Ongoing domestic violence

• Repeatedly witnessing violence & abuse

• Having been forced or manipulated into prostitution (sex trade)

• Torture, kidnapping, or used as a slave

• Prisoner of war.

• Having been stuck in a relationship with a psychopath, narcissist, or sociopath

People are far more likely to develop complex PTSD if:

• Experienced trauma at a young age

• Trauma lasted for extended periods of time

• Escaping or being rescued was impossible

• Experienced multiple traumas

• Being abused by someone close to you.

Years ago I was incorrectly diagnosed as a Borderline Personality Disorder. In fact most doctors didn't believe what I told them about the relationship I was in. I once walked in for therapy & saw on a whiteboard my past experiences with notes saying my wounds were self inflicted. None of my wounds were ever self inflicted. In fact those scars on my back were put there by a biological grandmother who put out her cigarettes on my back. Scars on my face from being thrown into a cabinet by that same grandmother. She was abusive to my father, his sisters, & me. She was an abusive narcissistic woman. I stopped going to therapy where the whiteboard was after a while because I wanted to prove the reality of what I went through. Then moved on to other therapists. It was a tough road. I had therapists who wanted to attempt to diagnose a man they couldn't talk to. Until the unthinkable happened. He sought out therapy with 2 of my therapists. My first ex husband was a difficult one to figure out because he was so charming outwardly. He was assumed to be a schizoaffective disorder, then a borderline personality disorder, then a malignant narcissist, & now finally a therapist said "oh he's definitely a psychopath." It's unnecessary for your therapist to diagnose your ex, it is necessary for them to listen, pay attention, and give you coping skills so you can process and heal from the trauma you've experienced.

What are flashbacks?

A flashback is a vivid experience in which you relive some aspects of a traumatic event or feel as if it is happening in the present moment. This can be like watching a movie of what happened, and reexperiencing the event/events all over again. Flashbacks don't necessarily involve seeing full images, or reliving experiences from start to finish.

Flashbacks include:

• Seeing partial or full images of what happened

• Sensory effects such as sounds, tastes, smells, & physical touch connected to the trauma

• Feeling physical sensations, such as pains-sharp, blunt, throbbing, & pressure

• Experiencing emotions that you felt during the trauma.

• Nightmares of the past event or events

You may notice that particular places, people, situations, television programs, movies, videos, music, smells, tastes, and books can trigger a flashback. This is due to those experiences reminding you of the trauma. Flashbacks can also happen randomly. Flashbacks can last for just a few seconds,hours and even days.

Treatment for PTSD and CPTSD

Prazosin is used effectively for many who experience PTSD.It helps subside nightmares so you can sleep better. If you have low blood pressure like me I advise not taking it. I ended up passing out and getting a concussion when I took it.

TF-CBT (Trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy) This requires seeing a licensed practitioner in CBT for twelve weeks once a week for 45 minutes to an hour. (This did help, but it was a difficult process).

EMDR (Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) It does require that you have a strong support system with family or friends and in a safe environment. These are exercises that have you do eye movements after talking about or focusing on trauma, there are also written, art exercises used in EMDR (This has also been helpful to my healing process).

Art Therapy: Drawing, painting, and creating artwork allows a therapist to see through your artistic expression and can notice symbols that point to your traumas and your healing process. I Loved this!

Music Therapy: Learning how to play an instrument or sing with a teacher that has a background in psychology (like me). Listening to solfeggio tones that release endorphins. Singing or playing music in a group therapy session allows expression of your traumas with others without having to specifically talk about your traumas.

Photo Therapy: There are only a few people who practice this. I used photography with some of my music students and they found it healing to learn an artform that doesn't make you need to be an artist like a painter that requires artistic creative skills. or as a singer that requires you to have singing abilities. Learning how to use a camera and using it is an artform that allows you to capture moments of artistic beauty you wouldn't normally expect.

Dance and movement therapy: There are therapists that have a concentration in dance and movement that assist you in physical movements that help to release trauma. When I was studying movement and dance I was also studying psychology. My psychology advisor was excited because of the fact I was studying theatre, music, and dance. He said these forms of expression are pivotal in healing processes.

Theatre Therapy: Acting is a beautiful and expressive art form that has allowed me and others to tap into those emotions that have been repressed or are challenging to deal with. Learning a monologue and doing scene work in front of an audience of understanding people is not just validating, it feels amazing to express those pent up emotions. Writing and creating a monologue or character can be cathartic as well.

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Involves tapping on acupressure points and making statements as you tap. I am now trained in EFT and I practice this on myself often.

Acupuncture: There are trained acupuncturists who know how to put those needles in just the right places to help deal with PTSD. This moves energies through your body that have been trapped.

TRE (Trauma Release Exercises) This involves physical movements such as shaking different body parts in order to release stuck trauma. This relates to animals like dogs. After a fight a dog will physically shake off after a fight and then are able to go about running around like normal again. (I've done a few of this with a practitioner who was learning TRE and it was an amazing experience that allowed me to release trauma I'd been holding onto for years).

DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) This is done in a group setting where you learn different ways of speaking, reacting, and behaving. People don't mean to go out of their way to trigger your past events and feelings caused by trauma. This taught me how to deal with people who push my buttons so to speak. I'm still a work in progress, but I did learn a lot from DBT.

Journaling: Writing down your experiences and getting them out through the physical act of writing them down allows you to express events and past traumas you have a hard time talking about. Journaling can also encompass a gratitude journal in which you write down everything you are grateful for and appreciative of and writing down why you are grateful and appreciative. (I have a ton of journals).

Meditation: Staying in the here and now and focusing on being mindful and aware of surroundings, breathing, and thought patterns. (This has been a key part of the healing I've gone through).

Physical exercise: Walking, Horseback Riding, Yoga, Pilates, Dance, Weight Training, Tai Chi, Krav Maga or any self defense classes. (This has been pivotal in my healing because it has allowed me to feel physically strong in my own body and also feel connected not just to myself, but to others too).

Spiritual Practices: Religion, prayer, and spirituality. Being open to new spiritual practices doesn't mean you need to go all new age in your belief system. Simply learning about new religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, and other practices around the world is an eye opening and beautiful experience. You see many similarities and creation stories and enjoy expanding your mind, spirituality, and knowledge of world religions. Practice what feels right for you.

Being out in nature. My mother's mother used to say "Nature is healing, it's natural to heal when you're in nature." You know what? She's right! Enjoy the beautiful imperfections in nature. It helps you to accept your own imperfections and beauty.

Use of affirmations and askfirmations. Affirmations are I am statements that are phrased in the present tense with only positive words. The words not and no and all negatives are left out of positive affirmations. You can say them to yourself or out loud.

I am confident, I am joyful, I am calling my power back cleaned, recalibrated, better than it was before, and only belonging to me.

Askfirmations: If you're resistant to I am statements these pose a question to the universe so the universe has to answer you.

Why am I so confident?

Why am I joyful?

Why am I grateful?

Why am I wealthy, healthy, and wise?

Write down your favorites in a notebook at say them to yourself before you go to sleep and first thing when you wake up. Do this for 21 days or more. Trust me you will see a difference.

There are nighttime versions of affirmations and askfirmations on Youtube that you can listen to.

Reiki: A reiki practitioner can assist in releasing energies that have been trapped in your energy field. This I suggest to people who are wary of needles that an acupuncturist utilizes. This is a gentle way of moving your stuck and stagnant energies that are trapped within your energy system. Reiki practitioners go through years of training and receive attunements to be able to practice.

Massage Therapy. Specifically myofascial massage therapy. This can actually be quite painful unfortunately. The massage therapist digs deeply into the myofascial muscles in order to release those tense muscles and helps to release stored trauma in the connective tissues. (This does help, let me tell you. I felt like whole mountains were removed from my shoulders). It is advised to drink water afterwards to aid in the process of elimination of those trapped energies and help your muscles to relax and heal.