Many of us have heard of PTSD, but as soon as someone puts a C in front of it, we begin to wonder what it is. Is it still the same thing? Is it similar? Does it even exist? Many people question C-PTSD and that's totally understandable! It's not in the DSM-5, nor has there been word of it being included in the next edition of the DSM, whenever that may come out, so what is it really?
C-PTSD, sometimes known as complex trauma or complex PTSD, is PTSD caused by not one event but many events happening either repeatedly or consecutively. An example is childhood abuse, which may have occurred numerous times to the point where it all blends together into "one entity."
Many psychiatrists today don't recognize C-PTSD as a disorder due to the fact that it's not in the DSM-5, the so-called "Bible" of the mental health world, but many others see it as a very real thing. However, it's incredibly hard to find any literature on this topic, due to the fact that it has little support in terms of "high-ranking" doctors and scholars of this field.
One book that I've found, which I'll be reviewing soon, is a book by Stephanie Foo, who suffers from C-PTSD and shares her journey in a memoir/autobiography. It talks about her trauma, her story, and her journey to finding out what's wrong with her.
Despite the label C-PTSD being questioned, there are no-doubt people who struggle from such complex traumas, whether they be labeled officially by/in the DSM-5 or not. What's your thoughts on this ongoing issue? I'd love to hear it in the comments!