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Mental Health HomepageConditions LibraryConditions CategoryConditions CategoryC-PTSD vs. PTSD
Table of Contents:OverviewWhat is the Difference Between C-PTSD and PTSD?SymptomsCauses of C-PTSDCan You Have Both C-PTSD and PTSD?Do Treatments Differ?
PTSDRead Time: 8 Minutes
Published On: April 20, 2022
Reviewed On: April 20, 2022
Updated On: November 2, 2023
OverviewUpdated on 4/20/2022Your palms sweat. Your heart races. You don’t remember where you are — are you here, now, or back in another, scarier time?This describes aflashback, and for many people who live with post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, it’s a common experience. Faced with the reminder of a traumatic event, someone with PTSD can be jerked back into the mental, emotional, and even physical experience of their trauma.All of this, however, assumes that the trauma occurred in the past,andthat it’s over. Butwhat happens when you’re trying to navigate ongoing trauma,orwhen you experience a prolonged series of traumatic events? This is where a complex PTSD (also known as C-PTSD) diagnosis can bridge an important behavioral health gap.According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), an estimated7 or 8 out of 100 peoplein the United States will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime. What’s the difference between PTSD and C-PTSD, though? What are the hallmarks and symptoms of each mental health condition? What causes C-PTSD? Most importantly, can you have both conditions simultaneously, and what treatments are available?Read on to learn everything you need to know about PTSD vs C-PTSD.
Overview
Updated on 4/20/2022
Your palms sweat. Your heart races. You don’t remember where you are — are you here, now, or back in another, scarier time?
This describes aflashback, and for many people who live with post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, it’s a common experience. Faced with the reminder of a traumatic event, someone with PTSD can be jerked back into the mental, emotional, and even physical experience of their trauma.
All of this, however, assumes that the trauma occurred in the past,andthat it’s over. Butwhat happens when you’re trying to navigate ongoing trauma,orwhen you experience a prolonged series of traumatic events? This is where a complex PTSD (also known as C-PTSD) diagnosis can bridge an important behavioral health gap.
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), an estimated7 or 8 out of 100 peoplein the United States will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime. What’s the difference between PTSD and C-PTSD, though? What are the hallmarks and symptoms of each mental health condition? What causes C-PTSD? Most importantly, can you have both conditions simultaneously, and what treatments are available?
Read on to learn everything you need to know about PTSD vs C-PTSD.
What is the Difference Between C-PTSD and PTSD?
For survivors of ongoing trauma — like ongoing abuse, neglect, domestic violence, kidnapping, or being a prisoner of war (POW) — flashbacks and other symptoms can be particularly intense. These survivors may suffer from a different form of PTSD called complex PTSD (C-PTSD) — also sometimes referred to as “disorders of extreme stress not otherwise specified.”
While the label complex PTSD is still fairly new, many therapists and researchers believe it should have its own diagnosis, separate from simple PTSD. Still, although C-PTSD doesn’t have a diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), it is important to understand what the condition is and how it differs from PTSD.
Wherever individual therapists stand on complex PTSD’s difference from PTSD, one thing is certain: If you’ve experienced trauma and are suffering, you deserve care. You can heal. Learning about PTSD and C-PTSD is the first step.
What is C-PTSD?
The main difference between PTSD and C-PTSD is simple. C-PTSD mostly occurs in people who’ve experienced extreme violence, trauma, or stress over an extended period. These events can make them feel trapped, and thus, hopeless. They might feel as if they’re physically or psychologically unable to escape their trauma.
What is PTSD?
We know that post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, can result from a traumatic event. Some scientists even describe it as the body’sevolutionary defense mechanismto intense stress, with the symptoms of PTSD actually serving to keep us aware of future threats. Of course, what might have worked for the human race long ago isn’t necessarily as effective in the modern world.
The reality is, both C-PTSD and PTSD can have a severe impact on the daily lives of those who live with it.
SymptomsSymptoms of PTSD vs C-PTSD can be similar and overlapping in many people. That said, it’s important to note that despite sharing many of the same symptoms, the two conditions are actually distinct. True, they’re both related to a trauma or series of traumatic events you experience, but the causes and specific symptoms are what distinguish one condition from the other.
Symptoms
Symptoms of PTSD vs C-PTSD can be similar and overlapping in many people. That said, it’s important to note that despite sharing many of the same symptoms, the two conditions are actually distinct. True, they’re both related to a trauma or series of traumatic events you experience, but the causes and specific symptoms are what distinguish one condition from the other.
Expert Insight
Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical, (LCSW-C), LICSW, MSWElizabeth Keohan
PTSD SymptomsPTSD can include symptoms that generally fall into 1 or more of the following 4 main categories:Avoidance— Making an extreme effort to avoid anything that reminds you of your trauma. This can include avoiding people, places, events, objects, or even songs.Intrusion— Persistent, unwanted, often involuntary events like memories of your traumatic experience, nightmares about the trauma, or dissociative reactions ranging from flashbacks to loss of awareness.Moods and thoughts— New, negative thought patterns about yourself, others, or the world. Blaming yourself for the traumatic event, feeling detached from others, etc.Reactivity— A change in how you respond to certain events or situations. Irritability, anger, or having verbal outbursts, exaggerating reactions, or feeling like you’re on “high-alert” or hypervigilant.C-PTSD SymptomsC-PTSD symptoms can include all the same symptoms as PTSD, but you might also have new, intense feelings about yourself that are negative or distorted. If you’re experiencing C-PTSD, you may find that you suddenly:Have a hard time controlling your emotions, especially when you’re feeling extreme sadness or intense angerFeel an urge to avoid peopleFind relationships to be challengingBegin to have difficulties trusting othersHave feelings of hopelessness that you can’t shakeExperience a persistent feeling of emptinessStart creating unhealthy dynamics in your relationships
PTSD Symptoms
PTSD can include symptoms that generally fall into 1 or more of the following 4 main categories:
C-PTSD Symptoms
C-PTSD symptoms can include all the same symptoms as PTSD, but you might also have new, intense feelings about yourself that are negative or distorted. If you’re experiencing C-PTSD, you may find that you suddenly:
Causes of C-PTSD
Can You Have Both C-PTSD and PTSD?Yes, it is entirely possible to experience both C-PTSD and PTSD at the same time. This can be common, for example, if you dealt with ongoing trauma such as neglect or abandonment throughout your childhood, and then as an adult you witness a horrible fatal accident. If this is the case, it’s possible to have PTSD from the accident you saw, while simultaneously having C-PTSD from the neglect you experienced in your youth.
Can You Have Both C-PTSD and PTSD?
Yes, it is entirely possible to experience both C-PTSD and PTSD at the same time. This can be common, for example, if you dealt with ongoing trauma such as neglect or abandonment throughout your childhood, and then as an adult you witness a horrible fatal accident. If this is the case, it’s possible to have PTSD from the accident you saw, while simultaneously having C-PTSD from the neglect you experienced in your youth.
Do Treatments Differ?
As you might expect, since the conditions are so similar, the treatments can be fairly similar as well. For both C-PTSD and PTSD, common treatment approaches might include psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy), medication, or a combination of the two. Note that medication is typically found to be most effective when used in conjunction with therapy.
Types of therapy to treat PTSD and C-PTSD
Some specific types of therapy have been found extremely effective in treating both PTSD and C-PTSD. Different forms ofcognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), includingcognitive processing therapy (CPT)andeye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)therapy have been found effective.Exposure therapyis another technique that’s seen success in reducing the symptoms related to PTSD.
Medication to treat PTSD and C-PTSD
Sometimes,medicationmay be prescribed to help with symptoms of PTSD. Options include anti-anxiety medication, some forms of antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Alpha-1 blockers for people who have frequent nightmares from PTSD, or mood stabilizers.
The first goal of treatment for Complex PTSD is stabilization, meaning you’ll focus on learning how to separate your traumatic past from the present. The right therapist can teach you what’s known as “grounding techniques” that are aimed at helping you stay in the here and now. This will help you feel safe, so you can let go of the threat and panic you still recall from your past.
You can think of grounding techniques as helping you keep your feet on the ground, in the present, sometimes literally. Some therapists even suggest walking barefoot and feeling the ground beneath your toes as a strategy to remain focused on the present.
Other grounding techniques can include paying attention to the sounds, sights, smells, and textures in the present, or going somewhere safe and cozy and being cognizant of the comforting feelings you have once there.
While the symptoms of complex PTSD are definitely serious, it’s important to know that youcanheal. Understanding C-PTSD vs PTSD is key. The most important step in getting better is reaching out for help. Through in-person oronline therapy, you can learn effective coping strategies that will teach you how to manage the symptoms of C-PTSD. Whether you’re seeking a mental health professional or therapy, a PTSD treatment is possible and aid in the short or long term trauma experienced.
See ReferencesPTSD: National Center for PTSDU.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed March 24, 2022.Primitive mechanisms of trauma response: an evolutionary perspective on trauma-related disordersBaldwin, David V. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews vol. 37,8 (2013): 1549-66. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.06.004. Accessed March 24, 2022.What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?American Psychiatric Association. Accessed March 24, 2022.
See References
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed March 24, 2022.
Baldwin, David V. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews vol. 37,8 (2013): 1549-66. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.06.004. Accessed March 24, 2022.
American Psychiatric Association. Accessed March 24, 2022.
Elizabeth KeohanLicensed Talkspace Therapist, Elizabeth Keohan has enjoyed working with clients in communities from Washington DC through rural Maine over the course of her career. While she has worked extensively with those experiencing anxiety and depression, she embodies a unique comfort working with the bereaved. Elizabeth combines a compassionate, holistic approach with Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT), to help clients counter their somatic response to stress, anxiety, mood, grief and loss.
Licensed Talkspace Therapist, Elizabeth Keohan has enjoyed working with clients in communities from Washington DC through rural Maine over the course of her career. While she has worked extensively with those experiencing anxiety and depression, she embodies a unique comfort working with the bereaved. Elizabeth combines a compassionate, holistic approach with Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT), to help clients counter their somatic response to stress, anxiety, mood, grief and loss.
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