What is complex PTSD?

Complex PTSD is a when you have some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and some additional ones too. 

Complex PTSD is sometimes known as c-PTSD, or CPTSD.  

If you have complex PTSD, you will have extra symptoms such as: 

• severe issues controlling your emotions,
• an ongoing belief that you are worthless, with deep feelings of shame, guilt or failure that can be related to the trauma, and
• ongoing issues keeping relationships and feeling close to others.

You are more likely to develop complex PTSD if your trauma is, or has been: 

• an ongoing event, or
• a series of different traumatic events. 

The trauma might be very threatening or frightening. 

Often, it is a trauma which you were not able to escape from, such as: 

• torture,
• slavery,
• domestic abuse, or
• sexual or physical abuse as a child or adult.