C-PTSD and Interpersonal Relationships

As I have discussed in other articles, Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) is a unique condition that is the result of suffering a series of traumatic incidents over a long period of time at the hands of someone the victim has a dependent relationship with, usually a parent or other primary caregiver. C-PTSD shares many features of the better known PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) which is the result of a small number of impersonal traumas, such as car accidents. However, it also has many unique features, which give it a dual nature, in some ways more similar to some personality disorders, or other disorders such as bipolar disorder, with which it is often confused. In my work with clients who suffer from C-PTSD, I am frequently struck with how difficult it is for them to lead fulfilling lives. It is one thing to analyze symptoms like dissociation, emotional dysregulation, depression, or anxiety, but another to appreciate how they interfere with the life of C-PTSD victims on a daily basis. One of the most tragic ways that plays out is the way that C-PTSD makes it difficult for sufferers to form and sustain strong and fulfilling interpersonal relationships. While there are some people who are genuinely happiest on their own, for the vast majority, successful relationships are essential to long-term happiness and life satisfaction. The difficulty that sufferers from C-PTSD face in maintaining stable relationships, is, in fact, one of the major obstacles to the...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Abuse Anxiety Depression Dissociation Personality Psychology Psychotherapy PTSD Relationships & Love C-PTSD complex post-traumatic stress disorder complex trauma Dating Intimacy Marriage Traumatic Experience Source Type: news