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I’ve been wanting to make a thread about different ways Complex PTSD shows itself in people that not a lot of people talk about. Now is a better time than ever. So here it is (a thread)
Defensive Reactions: Every brain is wired to recognize danger and protect you with the “fight or flight” response. Somebody with CPTSD is on much higher alert, which means something as simple as a change in routine or benign critique can trigger the fight or flight.
This can result in a response that isn’t well thought out, including anxiety/panic or saying something they don’t mean in an attempt to defend themselves.
Sleeping too Much/Not Sleeping at All: a person with CPTSD can exhibit both of these behaviors. Sleeping can be hard and full of flashback nightmares which will lead to insomnia. At the same time flashbacks can occur during waking hours leading to wanting to sleep too much.
Severe Anxiety: In the same sense of the defensive reactions, severe anxiety can cause irritability and agitation. Which is something not a lot of people think about when it comes to anxiety. When you have a brain that is massively overwhelmed by intrusive/anxious thoughts it is
common to overreact when someone is even trying to talk to you about the simplest things. Picture having a recording of a million things blasted in your ears, trying to work on a project and then having someone expecting you to respond to them in a natural way. It’d be difficult
Physical Pain/Sweating: Stress and trauma manifests easily in to physical pain. Even when you feel like you’re not thinking about these things your body has created it’s own memory in the form of pain. Excessive sweating is also a body memory of CPTSD.
Substance Abuse: A lot of alcoholics and drug addicts (even without PTSD) can relate to using substances to numb something. It’s the same way with CPTSD, it becomes a way to attempt to, even for a moment, forget the trauma.
Shame/Guilt: struggling with any mental illness can be full of shame and guilt. Shame for the fear that you may have caused your own trauma or shame for going through it at all. Guilt for the way your illness creates certain reaction to people around you. Guilt for feeling like
you should be able to control it, even when you can’t.
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This is just my own list of things I have experienced and don’t ever find a lot of details on. There are obviously way more symptoms and different ways others experience CPTSD.
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This is just my own list of things I have experienced and don’t ever find a lot of details on. There are obviously way more symptoms and different ways others experience CPTSD.
It’s important to remember that whatever caused your mental illness it’s not your fault, there are avenues for help and there are people that can relate to you. It’s ok to not be ok.
