Complex PTSD: Recognizing and Overcoming Hidden Trauma
When most people think of PTSD, they picture soldiers returning from war or people who have survived violent crimes. While these can certainly be common causes, there is another form of PTSD that doesn’t often get as much attention. It’s called Complex PTSD (C-PTSD). Unlike PTSD, which can develop from a single traumatic event, C-PTSD stems from prolonged exposure to trauma, often in situations where it feels difficult to escape.
This might include ongoing childhood abuse, domestic violence, prolonged bullying, or growing up in a chaotic, unstable household. In this post, we’ll break down what C-PTSD is, why it often flies under the radar, how it shows up, and how therapy can help.
What is Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)?
C-PTSD develops from repeated or chronic trauma. Ongoing exposure to traumatic events, particularly during crucial developmental stages, can profoundly impact a person’s emotional and psychological well-being. Trauma during these formative years disrupts the normal development of coping mechanisms and emotional regulation, leading to long-lasting effects that can make everyday functioning incredibly challenging. Because it’s not often discussed, many people suffering from C-PTSD might struggle to understand why they react, feel, or behave the way they do.
C-PTSD is often overlooked or downplayed because individuals who experience it frequently minimize their own trauma. They might say things like "my childhood wasn’t that bad,” comparing their experiences to more widely recognized forms of PTSD. This tendency to downplay suffering means many people don’t seek help, believing that what they experienced was not severe enough to warrant attention. It can take a significant amount of time for people to acknowledge and accept that they have C-PTSD and recognize the profound role it has played in their development.
How C-PTSD Manifests
C-PTSD can affect people in different ways, sometimes more deeply and persistently than PTSD. Here’s how C-PTSD might manifest:
Emotional regulation issues: Difficulty controlling or expressing emotions, leading to intense anger, sadness, or anxiety and heightened vulnerability to stress.
Negative self-perception: Persistent feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or shame.
Difficulty with relationships: Struggles with trust, intimacy, and maintaining relationships. Often, those with C-PTSD may develop insecure attachment styles, leading to fear of abandonment or difficulty depending on others.
Detachment and disassociation: Feeling disconnected from oneself or the surrounding world.
Physical Symptoms: Chronic pain, headaches, or gastrointestinal issues without a clear medical cause.
Emotional Neglect: The Hidden Trauma
One of the most common and often overlooked forms of trauma that can lead to C-PTSD is chronic emotional neglect by a parent or caregiver. Emotional neglect happens when a child's emotional needs are inconsistently met or consistently unmet, leaving them feeling unworthy or invisible. Unlike more visible forms of abuse, emotional neglect can be harder to recognize and acknowledge, but its effects can be just as damaging. Here are some common ways emotional neglect shows up in families:
Emotional unavailability: Parents or caregivers who are emotionally distant, unresponsive, or indifferent to the child’s feelings and needs.
Lack of support and encouragement: Growing up without positive reinforcement, praise, or encouragement, leading to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.
Inconsistent care: Unpredictable or inconsistent caregiving, where a child cannot rely on a stable presence or consistent support.
Isolation: Preventing a child from forming friendships or engaging in social activities, leading to loneliness, social withdrawal, and difficulty understanding social cues.
Ignoring emotional pain: Dismissing or minimizing a child's emotional distress, teaching them that their feelings don't matter.
Why Emotional Neglect Impacts Us So Much
Early emotional experiences significantly shape brain development. Emotional neglect impacts children profoundly because childhood is a critical period for emotional and psychological development. Chronic emotional neglect can impact areas of the brain involved in emotion regulation, stress response, and social interaction. Also, children learn to form secure attachments through consistent emotional support and responsiveness from caregivers. Positive reinforcement and emotional validation are crucial for developing self-esteem and a healthy sense of identity.
How Therapy Can Help
Therapy can be a powerful tool for individuals struggling with Complex PTSD (C-PTSD). Here’s how it can make a difference:
Creating a safe space: One of the first steps in therapy is establishing a safe, non-judgmental environment. This space allows individuals to explore their trauma without fear of criticism or invalidation. It’s a place where they can begin to process their experiences and start their healing journey.
Improving emotional regulation and coping skills: Through therapy, clients gain tools to better control their emotions and handle stress, leading to more stable and balanced emotional responses.
Rebuilding self-worth: Therapy helps individuals work through feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or shame. Through consistent support and positive reinforcement, therapists can help clients rebuild their self-esteem and develop a more positive self-perception.
Enhancing relationships: Since C-PTSD often affects relationships, therapy can be crucial in improving interpersonal skills. Therapists can help clients work on trust issues, communication skills, and developing healthier attachment styles. Couples counseling might also be beneficial in addressing relationship dynamics directly impacted by C-PTSD.
Addressing underlying issues: Therapy can help uncover and process deep-seated issues stemming from prolonged trauma. This might involve exploring past experiences, understanding how they affect current behavior, and working through unresolved emotions. At Highland Park Holistic Psychotherapy, we use trauma-focused therapies such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) or somatic experiencing to help clients process and integrate their traumatic experiences.
Long-term support and growth: Healing from C-PTSD is a long-term process, and therapy provides continuous support and guidance. Over time, individuals can develop a stronger sense of self, better-coping mechanisms, and healthier relationships. Therapy also encourages personal growth, helping clients build a more resilient and fulfilling life.
Start Addressing Complex PTSD in Los Angeles, CA with Highland Park Holistic Psychotherapy
At Highland Park Holistic Psychotherapy, we understand the profound impact of C-PTSD on individuals and their relationships. Our compassionate therapists offer personalized treatment plans to support your unique needs. We use evidence-based approaches to help you navigate your healing journey, improve emotional well-being, and build stronger, healthier connections.
If you're in Highland Park, Los Angeles, and think you might be struggling with C-PTSD, follow these steps to get support:
Meet with a caring and compassionate therapist
Start healing from past wounds.
Other Services Offered with Highland Park Therapy
At Highland Park Therapy, we provide a wide range of mental health services through online therapy statewide in California as well as in-person at our Los Angeles, CA office. Other services we offer include depression treatment, teen therapy, grief counseling, stress management therapy, and trauma therapy. We also offer IFS, EMDR, and counseling for HSPs/empaths. You can also read more by visiting our blog, FAQ, about us, or groups page.