Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (or C-PTSD) affects between 0.5 and 7.7 percent of the population — and 36 percent of those in mental health treatment.
Many people have heard of PTSD, but they’re less familiar with the separate diagnosis of C-PTSD. Some frequently asked questions about C-PTSD are answered below.
Please note that this article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to serve as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Table of Contents
(click on a question to be directed quickly)
What is Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
How does Complex PTSD differ from standard PTSD?
What causes someone to have Complex PTSD?
What types of therapy treats C-PTSD?
What types of medications treat C-PTSD?
Can C-PTSD be cured?
What Is Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Complex PTSD is a mental health condition and anxiety disorder.
C-PTSD is characterized by long-lasting trauma that goes on for months or years. Some symptoms of C-PTSD include:
How Does Complex PTSD Differ from Standard PTSD?
PTSD and C-PTSD are both disorders of extreme stress. One of the biggest differences between C-PTSD and PTSD, though, has to do with time.
Standard PTSD typically occurs as a result of one traumatic event — such as a natural disaster, an assault, etc.
C-PTSD, on the other hand, results from long-term trauma. For example, if someone is continually abused for years during their childhood, this is a type of repeated trauma that may cause them to develop C-PTSD.
What Causes Someone to Have Complex PTSD?
Complex PTSD develops when someone is severely and repetitively abused over a long period.