Complex Traumas
Complex trauma has a deep impact on the nervous system. By understanding how it develops, you can better understand how to treat it.
Most of us have a chapter in our lives we’d rather forget. Whether it’s a devastating breakup or the death of a loved one, many of us have felt the sting of heartbreak that comes with being a human.
But for those who live with complex trauma, the memories don’t just live in the past. They live in the present moment, too.
For a long time, complex trauma wasn’t well understood. Now researchers estimate that more than 3% of people meet the criteria for complex trauma. This is about the same percentage as people with traditional PTSD.
Some symptoms of complex trauma include:
- flashbacks
- lapses in memory
- difficulty regulating emotions
- hyperarousal, or being “on alert”
- dissociation or lapses in memory
- depersonalization or derealization
- sleep disturbances or nightmares
- struggling in interpersonal relationships
- low self-esteem or negative self-perception
- avoiding people, places, or scenarios that upset you