C Ptsd Symptoms In Women

What Additional Problems Are Associated With Chronic Trauma

In addition to PTSD, chronic trauma is sometimes associated with other comorbidities including substance use, mood disorders, and personality disorders. A thorough assessment using validated instruments is critical to creating a comprehensive and effective treatment plan.

An individual who experienced a prolonged period of chronic victimization and total control by another may also experience difficulties in the following areas:

• Emotional regulation. May include persistent sadness, suicidal thoughts, explosive anger, or inhibited anger.
• Consciousness. Includes forgetting traumatic events, reliving traumatic events, or having episodes in which one feels detached from one’s mental processes or body .
• Self-perception. May include helplessness, shame, guilt, stigma, and a sense of being completely different from other human beings.
• Distorted perceptions of the perpetrator. Examples include attributing total power to the perpetrator, becoming preoccupied with the relationship to the perpetrator, or preoccupied with revenge.
• Relations with others. Examples include isolation, distrust, or a repeated search for a rescuer.
• One’s system of meanings. May include a loss of sustaining faith or a sense of hopelessness and despair.

Negative View Of Self

Sadly, C-PTSD may result in a negative self-image. Because of the long-term trauma, those with C-PTSD do not view themselves in a positive, healthy light.

They likely have the same emotions similar to PTSD, but may have guilt, shame, feel helpless, or feel like theyre on a completely different planet than others. This makes it hard to connect with other people as well.

Remember, just as in PTSD, you may or may not have all of the symptoms associated with C-PTSD. Its important to evaluate your symptoms and which ones appear and interfere with your life.

You Lack Emotional Regulation

Due to your condition, you are unable to manage your emotions leading to uncontrollable feelings. Your constant inability to regulate emotions makes you more vulnerable to negative emotions like anger, fear, persistent sadness, and depression. This may also result in disruptive behaviors and make you respond inappropriately in a given situation.

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Signs Of Cptsd To Watch For

CPTSD can be difficult to detect in others, especially if you do not know about their history with trauma. Often those with CPTSD will struggle with a variety of mental health issues and may be diagnosed and treated for other mental illnesses, such as major depression, bipolar disorder, or borderline personality disorder.

Signs of CPTSD may include:

• A history of unhealthy relationships
• Inability to maintain close friendships
• Low self-esteem
• Substance abuse

Help For Trauma / PTSD

Talk Therapy Get help recovering from trauma from a licensed therapist. Betterhelp offers online therapy starting at $60 per week. Get matched With A Therapist

Medication Find out if PTSD medication is a good fit for you. Brightside offers a free assessment. Treatments start at $95 per month. Free Assessment

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What Causes Ptsd In Women

Any dangerous, life threatening, or upsetting life event, trauma, or situation can increase the risk of PTSD.

The more serious the trauma or the more directly it affected you the higher the risk of developing PTSD afterward. Everyday situations that can cause PTSD include:

• Violent crimes: surviving or witnessing violent crimes such as shooting, mugging, abuse, or sexual assault
• A loved one in danger: hearing or seeing someone close to you, such as a child, partner, or relative, experience a trauma
• Sudden death or illness: witnessing the accidental death, violent death, or serious illness of a loved one
• War: being exposed to combat or warfare, either through military service or as a civilian
• Accidents: being involved in any sort of serious accident, such as car accidents, plane or train crashes, sports accidents, or any other type of traumatic accident
• Natural disasters: living through hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, fires, or any other type of serious natural disaster

While there is evidence that shows the lifetime prevalence of exposure to trauma is lower among women than men, women are still more likely to experience PTSD.

This is likely because women may experience specific types of trauma more often. For instance, women are more likely to experience sexual assault and sexual abuse.

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, almost 91% of sexual assault survivors are women.

Treatment can last weeks, months, or longer and may include:

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Treatment For Complex Ptsd

Because complex PTSD is a relatively new diagnosis, mental health professionals are still working on treatment options. There are still some options that may help.

• Talk therapy to help process the trauma
• Medication such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications
• Exposure therapy in which subjects face their memories in a safe space
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy , which addresses thought patterns

Some therapists use a relatively new therapy called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing . It may be helpful for complex PTSD too. In EMDR, the subject remembers a trauma while following a bilateral stimulus that leads to a back-and-forth eye movement. The stimulus could be one they see such as a finger moving back and forth or a sound. EMDR is effective for PTSD, but experts debate if the bilateral stimulation is really important or if the process could happen without it.

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Clinical Descriptions And Biological Correlates Of Complex Ptsd Precipitating Traumatic Events And Clinical Divergence From Ptsd

Complex PTSD is already suggested as a distinct diagnostic entity, in the World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases, 11th version, , which is due to be published in 2018 and currently under review, classified under disorders specifically associated with stress. It is grouped together along with PTSD, prolonged grief disorder, adjustment disorder, reactive attachment disorder, disinhibited social engagement disorder and others. The disorders mentioned above are all associated with stress and exposure to distressing traumatic events. The clinical features following the stressful experience result in serious functional impairment regardless whether the traumatic event precipitating the disorder, falls under the normal range of life experiences or encompasses events of a menacing nature .

According to ICD-11, complex PTSD follows exposure to a traumatic event or a series of events of an extremely threatening nature most commonly prolonged, or repetitive and from which escape is usually impossible or strenuous.

The three additional clusters of symptoms beyond core PTSD symptoms refer to emotional regulation, negative self-concept and interpersonal relational dysfunction.

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Myth: Only Combat Veterans Get Ptsd

Anyone can get PTSD after a traumatic event, not just those who have served in the military and experienced combat. Sexual assault, domestic violence, natural disasters, and child abuse are all situations that can cause PTSD. Sometimes people dont need to actually experience the trauma themselves. Witnessing a traumatic event can also lead to the onset of the condition.

Where Can I Find Support

Having an under-recognized condition like CPTSD can be isolating. If you feel like you need some extra support, the National Center for PTSD has several resources, including a PTSD coaching app for your phone. While many of these resources are geared toward people with PTSD, you may still find them helpful for many of your symptoms.

The nonprofit organization Out of the Storm also has many online resources, including a forum, information sheets, and book recommendations, specifically for CPTSD.

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Signs And Symptoms Of Ptsd For Women

Apart from prevalence, there is also a slight difference in symptoms of PTSD in women. Here are five of the most common signs of PTSD for women:

1. Reliving Symptoms

Symptoms under this category include having flashbacks, wherein the memories are so real that the patient feels that the event is actually happening once again. Signs of flashbacks may include a high level of fear, helplessness, and other feelings that they felt when the traumatic event happened. Reliving symptoms can manifest suddenly without warning or it can be triggered by a reminder that can be related to the event such as sexual abuse news report on television .

2. Avoiding and Numbing Symptoms

Women who have PTSD may completely avoid everything that can remind them of the horrific event. They will avoid all possible sensory reminders that can trigger the memories of the traumatic experience such as watching television that depict a similar scene or going to the place where it happened. Another form of avoidance is carrying out different activities that will distract and prevent them from thinking about the traumatic experience.

Numbing signs, on the other hand, include isolation, lack of interest in activities they usually enjoy, forgetfulness, and inability to speak.

3. High Level of Emotional Arousal

4. Depression

Women with PTSD often suffer with depression as shown by persistent feelings of hopelessness, loneliness, and suicidal thoughts.

5. Social Anxiety

What Treatments Are There

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence the organisation that produces guidelines on best practice in health care has not yet developed recommendations specifically for complex PTSD. They caution that the existing guidelines for PTSD weren’t developed for this kind of diagnosis.

You may find standard treatments for PTSD helpful, but many people with complex PTSD need more long-term, intensive support to recover. As part of your treatment you should also be offered support for other problems you experience, such as depression, drug and alcohol use or dissociation. The treatment you are offered may depend on what’s available in your local area.

See our treatment for PTSD page for more about the treatments available, which may be useful for complex PTSD. Or visit our page on self-care for PTSD for tips on how to look after yourself when you have complex PTSD.

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Is Ptsd More Common In Males Or Females

There are gender differences in the prevalence of PTSD. Healthcare providers estimate that one in 10 women will develop symptoms of PTSD during their lifetime. As a woman, you are aroundtwice as likely as a man to develop PTSD. The most common type of trauma women experience is sexual assault, and the rates are higher than in men. Women are also more likely to experience childhood abuse or domestic violence in their life, which can lead to PTSD.

What Types Of Trauma Are Proposed To Increase The Likelihood Of Complex Ptsd

Originally, proponents of complex PTSD focused on childhood trauma, especially childhood sexual trauma. However, there is abundant evidence suggesting that duration of traumatic exposureâeven if such exposure occurs entirely during adulthood as with refugees or people trapped in a long-term domestic violence situationâis most strongly linked to the concept of complex PTSD. During long-term traumas, the victim is generally held in a protracted state of captivity, physically or emotionally, according to Dr. Herman . In these situations, the victim is under the control of the perpetrator and unable to get away from the danger. Examples of such traumatic situations include: concentration camps, Prisoner of War camps, prostitution brothels, long-term domestic violence, long-term child physical abuse, long-term child sexual abuse, and organized child exploitation rings.

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It’s Likely You May Already Be Familiar With Ptsd You May Know It As The Condition That Affects War Veterans And Survivors Of Car Accidents Natural Disasters And Isolated Acts Of Violence Complex Ptsd However Is Specific To Severe Repetitive Trauma That Typically Happens In Childhood

On the surface, it may seem like PTSD and Complex PTSD are none too dissimilar — they both come as the result of something deeply traumatic, they cause flashbacks, nightmares and insomnia, and they can make people live in fear even when they are safe. But at the very heart of C-PTSD – what causes it, how it manifests internally, the lifelong effects , and its ability to reshape a person’s entire outlook on life – is what makes it considerably different.

Other Terms For Complex Ptsd

Complex PTSD is a fairly new term. Professionals have recognised for a while that some types of trauma can have additional effects to PTSD, but have disagreed about whether this is a form of PTSD or an entirely separate condition, and what it should be called.

For example, you may find some doctors or therapists still use one of the following terms:

• enduring personality change after catastrophic experience
• disorders of extreme stress not otherwise specified this term is more common in America than the UK.

At times I felt nothing was going to end the distress, experiencing more than 10 flashbacks a day… It was a long process of recovery, with lots of bumps along the road, but the right medication and long-term therapy with someone I came to trust, has changed my life.

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How Is It Diagnosed

CPTSD is still a relatively new condition, so some doctors arent aware of it. This can make it hard to get an official diagnosis, and you might be diagnosed with PTSD instead of CPTSD. Theres no specific test for determining whether you have CPTSD, but keeping a detailed log of your symptoms can help your doctor make a more accurate diagnosis. Try to keep track of when your symptoms started as well as any changes in them over time.

Once you find a doctor, theyll start by asking about your symptoms, as well as any traumatic events in your past. For the initial diagnosis, you likely wont need to go into too much detail if it makes you uncomfortable.

Next, they may ask about any family history of mental illness or other risk factors. Make sure to tell them about any medications or supplements you take, as well as any recreational drugs you use. Try to be as honest as you can with them so they can make the best recommendations for you.

If youve had symptoms of post-traumatic stress for at least a month and they interfere with your daily life, your doctor will likely start with a diagnosis of PTSD. Depending on the traumatic event and whether you have additional symptoms, such as ongoing relationship problems or trouble controlling your emotions, they may diagnose you with CPTSD.

Keep in mind that you may need to see a few doctors before you find someone you feel comfortable with. This is very normal, especially for people dealing with post-traumatic stress.

Differences Between Ptsd In Women And Men

While it is true that PTSD can happen to any individual, there are statistics that show a difference in its prevalence related to gender. Women are reported to have a likelihood of PTSD that is 23 times higher than men. Its present in 1012 percent of women and 56 percent of men.

Its difficult to confidently say what contributes to the gender differences in the rates of PTSD. There are a variety of factors that have been exhaustively researched and that need to be considered, including:

• Bodily response: Women and men have different chemical and biological responses to stressful events. Women are more likely to have a dysregulated hypothalamic/adrenal/pituitary axis response. The dysregulation of this hormonal pathway is often involved in the development of PTSD.
• Diagnosis criteria: Women may be diagnosed more often because of the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis.
• Types of trauma: The most commonly reported trauma for women is sexual assault or child sexual abuse this type of experience is more likely to lead to PTSD.
• Amounts of traumatic exposure: Men experience more potentially traumatic experiences than women, but their reported PTEs are less commonly linked to PTSD.

PTSD symptoms often present differently according to gender. These differences are important to understand, especially as PTSD may be harder to recognize in men.

General PTSD symptoms are typically classified into four categories:

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Are Some Women More Likely To Develop Ptsd

Yes, although most women who go through trauma wont get PTSD. But you may be more likely to develop PTSD if you:

• Were directly exposed to the trauma as a victim or a witness. As many as half of women who are raped develop PTSD.10
• Were seriously hurt during the traumatic event
• Went through a trauma that lasted a long time or was very severe
• Have another mental health condition like depression or anxiety
• Drink a lot of alcohol
• Dont have a good support network
• Experienced trauma during childhood

How Is Complex Ptsd Treated

The main form of treatment for complex PTSD is long-term psychological therapy. This helps people slowly regain their trust in others. They can then gradually start to make friends, improve their work life and opportunities, and develop leisure interests.

People with complex PTSD often have problems with drug and alcohol use, anxiety and depression. These will need treatment too.

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The Difference Between Cptsd And Ptsd

You may experience PTSD after going through a single traumatic event, but CPTSD is often linked to ongoing or repeated traumas.

For example, events that may lead to PTSD include:

• A serious accident
• An instance of physical or sexual assault
• A traumatic childbirth experience, such as losing a baby
• A serious health problem that may have required being in intensive care

On the other hand, events that may cause CPTSD include:

• Experiencing abuse or neglect as a child
• Ongoing domestic violence

Overall, you are more likely to experience CPTSD instead of PTSD if the trauma:

• Occurred at an early age
• Was inflicted by someone close to you
• Was inflicted by someone who you continue to have to see on a regular basis