C-ptsd vs ptsd

[alt]

Hey good people,

I have a question I couldn't find a good answer to in other threads, as it seems a lot of sources have different opinions on these diagnoses. I apologize if this has been discussed before, but I didn't find an answer in other threads here.

My question is - what is the defining difference between c-PTSD and PTSD? Is it a symptoms based difference, or is it the length of trauma exposure that decides the diagnosis?

While c-PTSD isn't an official diagnosis, it seems a lot of sources think it SHOULD be one, but at the same time, it seems they don't agree on what it is. Some sources, like Complex PTSD - PTSD: National Center for PTSD seem to say that c-PTSD is trauma over a period of time, whereas other sources seem to say c-PTSD is a result of abuse in close relationships, often in childhood, with resulting trust issues in general.

I get confused by the fact that PTSD originally was a diagnosis for war veterans, who definitely had been exposed to trauma over a long period of time and thus must be suffering from c-PTSD if the "length of exposure" rule is right?

Another thing that confuses me in this, is that the longer one is suffering from PTSD symptoms, like flashbacks, the longer the exposure would be going on, even if only in the person's mind, so can one develop c-PTSD from having PTSD?

I'll add this (from the link above):

What additional symptoms are seen in Complex PTSD?
An individual who experienced a prolonged period (months to years) of chronic victimization and total control by another may also experience the following difficulties:

• Emotional Regulation. May include persistent sadness, suicidal thoughts, explosive anger, or inhibited anger.
• Consciousness. Includes forgetting traumatic events, reliving traumatic events, or having episodes in which one feels detached from one's mental processes or body (dissociation).
• Self-Perception. May include helplessness, shame, guilt, stigma, and a sense of being completely different from other human beings.
• Distorted Perceptions of the Perpetrator. Examples include attributing total power to the perpetrator, becoming preoccupied with the relationship to the perpetrator, or preoccupied with revenge.
• Relations with Others. Examples include isolation, distrust, or a repeated search for a rescuer.
• One's System of Meanings. May include a loss of sustaining faith or a sense of hopelessness and despair.

How are these ADDED symptoms? I see PTSD-sufferers online talking of most or all of these symptoms all the time?

My personal diagnosis is PTSD, but I have anger issues during flashbacks in particular (emotional regulation), I experience moments of forgetting order of events during the trauma (consciousness), often I feel stigmatized and shameful about the diagnosis, and I hide it mostly (self-perception), I have isolated from friends and family (relations with others) and at times I do have a sense of hopelessness (meaning). I did experience trauma over a period of time (months, in my late 30ies), so maybe I am a c-PTSD sufferer?

Any "simple" (as opposed to complex) PTSD sufferers here who would like to comment on whether or not they experience such symptoms?

 

[scout86]

I think the difference is multiple trauma/ over a period of time as opposed to something like a car wreck only happens once. That can easily include both combat AND childhood. (Some childhoods seem a lot like a war :))

 

[alt]

I think the difference is multiple trauma/ over a period of time as opposed to something like a car wre...

Yes, I see that c-PTSD is meant to be a way to explain multiple trauma vs. one-incident trauma.

But PTSD was a diagnosis created for war veterans originally, and if combat experiences day out and day in isn't long term exposure to trauma, then I don't know what is? So that is why I'm confused. The PTSD diagnosis IS already about long term trauma, no?

 

[ILoveLife]

Hey... Psychiatry is always evolving. What's true today might not be true tomorrow. You seem to be taking it too seriously.
I did that too, so no judgement here!

Just breathe a bit out of the diagnosis box and think of symptoms. Would it be best if they didn't have titles? Maybe it would be easier.

 

[alt]

Hey... Psychiatry is always evolving. What's true today might not be true tomorrow. You seem to be taking...

Oh damn, you're right. :o

But I still wonder if PTSD-sufferers don't have the so-called "specific to c-PTSD" symptoms :p

 

[CatInTree]

They can get back to me when they're finished deciding which long-term things count. Maybe then I can answer some questions.

 

[Gs172003]

Yes, I see that c-PTSD is meant to be a way to explain multiple trauma vs. one-incident trauma.

Bu...

That's what confuses me too

 

[CatInTree]

Well, once they manage to sort that out we are gonna have the part where they wonder if fearing for others' lives over a longer term is different than a single instance or not. And what if you personally weren't abused but had people actively attempting to stop you from helping the ones whose lives you feared for? Then what if it wasn't officially your job to do it?

We've got a long way before they've come to any conclusions.

Greetings from the one who had ptsd before the dsm said she could have it due to none of the above happening directly in front of her face

 

[Dergrosse]

I thought c-ptsd was no longer a diagnosis. There's always been confusion and I may be wrong but I thought the most current dsm didn't include c-ptsd as a diagnosis.

 

[CatInTree]

@Dergrosse The DSM doesn't include it. The ICD 11 does.

 

[Friday]

This article may help >>> Understand complex ptsd (cptsd)

 

[Mee]

Oh I wish I had read this thread before jumping in with my own... Sorry