What is Complex PTSD (and how is it different from PTSD)?

I knew – as do most people – what PTSD was. We mentally picture soldiers returning home, scarred from the atrocities of war.

But what I didn’t know was that a person could suffer from PTSD-like symptoms without ever going through life-threatening experiences such as war. That trauma occurs daily in our homes, schools, and communities. And that these often overlooked wounding experiences in childhood have lasting consequences on how we think, feel, act, and survive in the present.

So what is Complex PTSD?

Complex PTSD, also known as CPTSD or Complex Trauma, develops in response to prolonged, repeated exposure to interpersonal abuse or trauma, often where there was little or no chance for escape.

What can cause Complex PTSD?

Some examples of traumatic events that can cause CPTSD include:

• Childhood abuse, neglect, or abandonment.

• Physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse.

• Experiencing or witnessing domestic violence.

• Experiencing prolonged school bullying or workplace abuse.

• Being a survivor of human trafficking or prisoner of war.

How is it different from PTSD?

PTSD is typically associated with a single traumatic event, whereas CPTSD results from long-term recurring trauma. PTSD and CPTSD share overlapping symptoms, including but not limited to hypervigilance, feelings of guilt or shame, and emotional distress.

CPTSD is recognized by the World Health Organization and US Department of Veteran Affairs, and is considered to be a distinct diagnosis from PTSD in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). However, CPTSD has not yet been included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Heath Disorders (DSM-5) by the American Psychiatric Association.

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