Complex trauma can have a profound impact on a person’s nervous system and often leads to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Complex trauma is also referred to as complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD).
Because it is natural to experience distress after trauma, related mental health concerns may go unnoticed until symptoms become severe. Some trauma survivors aren’t fully aware of how a PTSD treatment program can help them.
Trauma from a single event can lead to mental health concerns, including substance use disorders. Complex trauma refers to a series of traumatic events that take place over time. These events can be related or separate. Either way, healing from trauma is possible with the right support at Promises Behavioral Health.
Defining Complex Trauma
When faced with a life-threatening or highly distressing event, the body and brain naturally go into “fight, flight, or freeze” mode. This is an instinctual and biological survival technique that prepares humans to either fight the threat, run from it, or hide to protect themselves.
Once the danger passes and stress hormones have rebalanced, most people are able to return to a relaxed state. However, when a person experiences the same trauma over and over again for months or years, such as with child abuse, their limbic system stays engaged.
They are constantly living in survival mode with an overload of cortisol and other hormones that never return to a balanced state. Trauma can become trapped in the physical body and cause changes in brain function. This is what defines complex trauma.
Possible Causes of Complex Trauma
Every person is different and has different abilities for coping with trauma. Some common causes of complex trauma include:
- Living in a war zone
- Medical trauma or medical abuse
- Ongoing emotional or physical abuse
- Domestic violence or witnessing domestic violence
- Chronic parental neglect
- Torture
- Combat trauma
- Environmental trauma, such as living in a violent community
- Racism, homophobia, and other types of ongoing discrimination
Any number of life experiences could be considered traumatic, depending on the individual.
Symptoms of Complex Trauma
Living in a near-constant state of fight, flight, or freeze can affect a person’s thoughts and behaviors. These symptoms may indicate you have developed C-PTSD:
- Lapses in memory
- Sleep disturbances such as insomnia or nightmares
- Low self-esteem
- Difficulty maintaining healthy relationships
- Feeling “on alert” even in safe spaces
- Difficulty with emotional regulation
- Avoiding people, places, or events that remind you of traumatic experiences
- Unexplained headaches or stomach problems
- Suicidal thoughts
It is easy to understand how these types of symptoms could manifest. The effects of ongoing abuse or neglect and constantly fearing for your life or the safety of your loved ones don’t simply go away when the threat goes away. Fortunately, healing from trauma is possible.
Treatments for Complex Trauma
Healing from trauma is an ongoing process. There is no single recommendation that works for everyone, and treatments that work at the beginning of recovery may not be effective as time goes on. The good news is that as mental health professionals understand more about complex trauma, new and better therapies are emerging.
Some of today’s most effective recommendations include cognitive-behavioral therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and mind-body therapies. Treatment for co-occurring conditions is also crucial.
Depending on your individual needs, your healthcare provider may also recommend treating specific symptoms such as depression, anxiety, or physical conditions related to trauma.
Get Help Healing From Trauma at Promises Today
Unhealed trauma can lead to life-threatening conditions like addiction and suicidal ideation. Ignoring trauma symptoms won’t make them disappear. If you’ve experienced any type of trauma that’s affecting the quality of your life, including complex trauma, you are not alone. Treatment is available and effective.
At Promises Behavioral Health, we understand how devastating the effects of complex trauma can be. Our compassionate approach to treatment includes a variety of evidence-based therapies, such as stress management therapy and meditation. Call Promises today at 844.875.5609 or schedule an appointment through our convenient online contact form to learn more about our treatment programs.