Many people ask if it is necessary to get treatment for complex PTSD, especially if they are surviving and are able to manage everyday life. So, the key question is: Complex PTSD if untreated, is it dangerous?
Complex PTSD if left untreated can become
Unlike PTSD, people who are suffering from Complex PTSD are often able to mask their pains for some period of time. However, as lives pressure builds up, the accumulating pains that were hidden underneath can suddenly erupt.
Untreated Complex PTSD Can Lead To Slow Mental Health Deterioration
The key issue with untreated complex PTSD is the slow decline in mental health condition. Like moisture trapped in a building, it can slowly damage the internal structures until it is too late. Here are some of the most common problems, and these are by no means the complete list.
Denial: In order to mask and suppress the painful memories, complex PTSD sufferers often strive to find ways to distract themselves or to avoid giving the brain any space for intrusive thoughts. Some of the ways that people have used are: workaholism, drug abuse, alcoholism, self-harm and even suicidal planning.
Isolation: Because of long-term and multiple traumas in the past, complex PTSD sufferers often find it very difficult to be close and trust other people. This is especially true if their perpetrators were people in the position of care and have betrayed their trust. This in turn means that complex PTSD sufferers tend not to discuss the problems, and would rather isolate themselves and be alone.
Deep Depression and Addiction: Unfortunately, it is usually during these lonely times that the painful memories strike the hardest. So instead of seeking support and relief from family and friends, complex PTSD sufferers are more likely to sink into deep depression. This in turn encourage addictive behaviours such as drug abuse, alcohol abuse, self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
Unseen Emotions: Since complex PTSD sufferers have experienced multiple traumas that are usually man-made and through no fault of their own, there is usually a deep-seated anger at the people involved or just the fact that something so terrible can happen to them so many times. Without an effective support network in place, and strong emotions bottling up from within, complex PTSD sufferers are carrying a very heavy load unseen to others.
Irritability: Many complex PTSD sufferers believe that no one would understand what they are going through, and that they are carrying all the burdens on their own. With an already very high level of internal stress and anxiety, complex PTSD sufferers have very little space remaining for handling everyday little hiccups. As a result, others may see them as highly irritable or emotionally unstable.
Relationship Issues: With a strong belief that people cannot be trusted, many complex PTSD sufferers can be highly defensive and sensitive to anything that can be construed as criticisms or attacks. This, together with uncontrollable outbursts of anger, often damage even the most precious relationships. This means, the complex PTSD sufferer is even more isolated.
Unemployment: Even if the complex PTSD sufferer may have been able to suppress or mask their pains and suffering through workaholism, there comes a point when workaholism as a crutch is no longer working. Outbursts of anger can lead to disciplinary actions work, or breakdown of relationship with colleagues and partners may also cost them their jobs.
Depression and addictive behaviours have a direct impact on one’s ability to eat and sleep well. This in turn would affect complex PTSD sufferers ability to get up, go to work, and stay alert during work hours.
Is Complex PTSD Too Complex To Be Cured?
Complex PTSD is certainly not too complex to be treated. Although memories of the past is unlikely to be entirely forgotten, the impact of those horrific memories can be significantly reduced with professional help.
To illustrate, many children find going to the dentist a rather traumatic experience. So much so that some refuse to go to the dentist. But, in time, the physical pain and mental terror of visiting a dentist no longer affects us in our daily lives, even though we still remember it being a horrible experience.
Of course, the events that have caused complex PTSD are far more traumatic then a child visiting a dentist. Even so, the impact of those memories can be reduced to the point where you can have a normal and enjoyable life like everybody else.
Is Treatment for PTSD Suitable For Complex PTSD?
Most treatment for PTSD could equally apply to complex PTSD. Although there are debates on this topic, so far there is no real evidence that normal PTSD treatment is not suitable for those suffering from complex PTSD.
That said, the usual PTSD treatment focuses heavily on memory processing. This means the entire focus is in reducing the impact of those traumatic memories on the patient’s daily lives.
The problem here is that complex PTSD sufferers usually have additional challenges in terms of building and maintaining relationships. They also have deep-seated psychological battles as to why they have fallen victim so many times. Under these circumstances, many complex PTSD sufferers lose their faith and hope that life can be worth living for them.
So, in addition to the usual PTSD treatment, complex PTSD sufferers would require extra counselling or support to rebuild their shattered lives. There would need to learn:
- when to trust and when not to trust
- how to build and maintain relationships
- how to structure the lives to give it some meaning
- to believe they are lovable and won’t always be a victim
- to have self- confidence
- to believe they can succeed
- to have faith that their own lives can be worth living
How Do I Find Effective Treatment for Complex PTSD?
Sadly, many therapists are not familiar with complex PTSD as a diagnosis. So, they assume complex PTSD is simply a more traumatic form of PTSD. The impact on personal relationships, working abilities, and how one view themselves are often neglected by therapists in general.
Happily, most therapists with special interest in PTSD are very familiar with complex PTSD. Also, nearly all therapists begin the training in assisting those with challenges in self-image, anxiety and depression. Together with a special interest in PTSD, they are well suited to assist those suffering from complex PTSD.
So, if you’re not able to find a therapist specializing in complex PTSD near you, do not despair. Speak to your doctors, physicians, and counselling services. If you discuss with them the problems that you’re having and the issues you would like to be addressed, you are off to a good start.
The key point to remember is that not all therapist who claim to be able to support PTSD are really having a special interest in PTSD. Many therapists would include all kinds of mental health issues in their profile in a bid to increase their client base.
One way of telling them apart is to look at their specialism and training profiles. Are they generalists or have they taken special training in PTSD? In their personal profile, do they mention challenges such as trust, relationships and work associated with PTSD or multiple traumas? These are all the tale-tale signs that tells you this therapist is aware of the additional needs for complex PTSD sufferers.
I Have Aspergers and Complex PTSD. What Then?
If you have Asperger’s and complex PTSD at the same time, be sure that your therapist has had special training in autism spectrum disorder, as well as a special interest in PTSD.
This is especially important if you have been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome or high functioning autism. The seemingly lack of cognitive and language impairment can sometimes lead therapists to ignore your autistic needs all together. For example, they may not be able to tell the difference between social anxiety and trauma related stress.
Also, the therapists may not realise your tendency to understand communication in a very literal way.
For example, the therapist may ask you about challenges in the week but did not specifically ask you about your progress. Many people would understand such a question as how was your week, meaning please tell me both positive and negative aspects of the week.
But, for many of us on the spectrum, we hear the phrase “challenges in the week”, and so we answer accordingly. The problem is that in time your therapists only ever hear of your challenges and never get to see your progress.
There is also a risk of any miscommunication be interpreted as refusal to cooperate with the therapist. Under those circumstances, the therapist may choose to terminate their support on the basis of your misconduct.
The termination of support is highly unlikely to be a malicious act. But just like many teachers who do not fully understand those with Asperger’s can misinterpret our behaviour as being rebellious, the same thing can happen with the therapists who lack understanding of autism spectrum disorder.
The good news is: there are therapists who are familiar with both Asperger syndrome and PTSD. As long as you explain also the additional needs for Complex PTSD, a therapist familiar with both Asperger syndrome and PTSD would be able to help.
Related Questions
What are the characteristics of someone with Complex PTSD? Extreme measures to avoid conflicts, contentions or unpleasant situations, a highly defensive personality, low self-esteem and self-worth, inability to stand up for oneself, reluctance to ask for help when needed as well as addictive behaviours and self-harm are very common.
Hyperarousal: What is it? Hyperarousal refers to a heightened alertness or vigilance is proportionate to the actual situation. It is believed that a traumatised individual with high level of anxiety may have an overstimulation of adrenaline, causing the individual to overreact to everyday events as if in imminent danger when there is none.
How long can Complex PTSD last? Typically, complex PTSD does not go away on its own but tends to get worse as the sufferer continues to suppress or mask the symptoms. However, there are effective treatments for complex PTSD sufferers. The length of the recovery process will depend on how many traumas are involved and how severely they impact on the sufferer’s life.