Bipolar Central
Devoted to Helping Those Living
with Bipolar Disorder

Complex (Chronic) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is a form of anxiety disorder that may develop after exposure to a trauma with physical injury or where physical threat was perceived. Trauma can include violent assaults, natural disasters or human-created disaster, and accidents.

Some PTSD patients suffer from Complex or Chronic PTSD. This condition is seen in patients who suffer long-term abuse or exposure to terrifying conditions (e.g. teenage prostitutes, residents or soldiers in war-torn countries, children who are abused in the home.

If symptoms of PTSD persist for more than three months after diagnosis, the diagnosis is changed to chronic post-traumatic stress disorder, which is a sub-form of PTSD. This disorder is sometimes called Extreme Stress Disorder or Disorder of Extreme Stress. Whatever the name, it is a debilitating disorder that causes the patient to avoid activities that may bring on memories or flashbacks related to the repeated trauma they experienced.

Survivors of repeated and long-term trauma actually have chemical and hormonal changes in their brains. It is believed that these changes result from early or prolonged trauma, and may contribute to behavioral and eating disorders, alcohol and drug abuse and self-destructive behavior. Sometimes survivors forget some or all of the events and remember them later when a stimulus triggers a memory, or when the patient is under extreme stress. The physical and emotional symptoms of chronic or complex PTSD are severe, and if the survivor does not seek treatment, they will typically begin to have problems at work, in school, at home and in social settings.

What are the symptoms?

New research and diagnostic tools enable doctors to more quickly diagnose Chronic PTSD and, with time, it is hoped that the public will be educated on this disorder and stop blaming survivors for their symptoms. Because of the chronic victimization endured by the survivor, they are often misdiagnosed as Borderline, Dependent, or Masochistic Personality Disorder. Doctors will typically perform medical and psychiatric examinations to rule out other causes for the patient’s symptoms. Treatment(s) can include:

• Headache, gastrointestinal symptoms, immune system depression, dizziness, chest pain, thyroid abnormality
• Hyper-arousal of nervous system, hyperactive startle reflex
• Interpersonal and social problems
• Feelings of detachment and estrangement, feeling numb
• Feeling strange and out of place
• Agitation when exposed to sense memories reminding patient of trauma (touch, smell, taste or sound)
• Blanks or gaps in memory of traumatic event, amnesia
• Avoiding activities, people, discussions or sensations that remind you of trauma
• Difficulty in experiencing strong feelings of love or attachment, distrust of others
• Heart pounding, difficulty breathing
• Self blame or feelings of guilt about the trauma, shame
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Eating Disorders, Personality Disorders, Dissociative Disorders
• Reliving traumatic episode, realistic flashbacks (minutes or hours, occasionally for days), nightmares, frightening images and thoughts
• Insomnia or interrupted sleep cycles, trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Shaking, trembling, sweating
• Abnormal neuro-hormonal levels (cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, natural opiates)
• Feelings of danger or fear or panic
• Physical numbness or strange physical sensations that can’t be otherwise explained
• Rage, Anger, aggression, need to defend self, inhibited anger, wanting revenge
• Memory and cognitive difficulties, inability to focus or concentrate
• Depression, loss of interest in activities that used to be pleasurable, loss of religious beliefs or hope
• Inability to feel pain or sensation
• Physical health symptoms that do not have any other cause
• Self Esteem and Identity problems
• Self Destructive Behavior, Sexual Dysfunction or Acting Out, Suicidal Thoughts

In our society, a person who has been repeatedly abused is often mistaken as weak. When survivors are blamed for the symptoms, they will often withdraw and, out of shame, refuse to seek treatment.

How is it diagnosed and treated?

New research and diagnostic tools enable doctors to more quickly diagnose Chronic PTSD and, with time, it is hoped that the public will be educated on this disorder and stop blaming survivors for their symptoms. Because of the chronic victimization endured by the survivor, they are often misdiagnosed as Borderline, Dependent, or Masochistic Personality Disorder. Doctors will typically perform medical and psychiatric examinations to rule out other causes for the patient’s symptoms. Treatment(s) can include:

• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Psychotherapy
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Group and Family Therapy
• Medication (Sertraline, psychotropic medications, lorazepam, neuroleptics, haldol, anticholinergic, antiadrenergic agents (clonidine, guanfacine, propranolol) Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Antidepressants
• Coping Skills for Survivor and Family

Treatment usually takes a lot longer than the treatment course for regular PTSD, and it may progress at a slower rate, and require structured treatment by a trauma specialist.

Index of Articles

If you are in a crisis please call: 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Search Bipolar Central

This Week's Bipolar News

Protein Kinase C Inhibitors in the Treatment of Bipolar Mania
psychiatrictimes
Bipolar disorder is associated with overactive protein kinase C (PKC) intracellular signaling.1 There is evidence that approved treatments for bipolar ...

New Tool Offers Rapid, Accurate Screening for Bipolar I Disorder
psychcongress
The 6-item Rapid Mood Screener outperformed the Mood Disorder Questionnaire in differentiating bipolar I disorder from major depressive disorder ...

Understanding bipolar
swinburne
ORBIT compares two, five-week, online interventions designed to improve quality of life for people who experience bipolar disorder. The interventions ...

Click here for all Bipolar News.

Featured Article:

The Warning Signs Of An Impending Bipolar Disorder Manic Episode

Bipolar disorder - as the name implies - involves two distinct set of symptoms. One set throws the individual down into the depths of a massive depression. The other places the individual who suffers with bipolar disorder at the top of a peak manic episode.

Most everyone can eventually recognize the warning signs of an impending depressive episode related to bipolar disorder. More likely than not, individuals with bipolar disorder try very hard to avoid it.

However, for many individuals with bipolar disorder, it's more difficult to recognize the signs of an impending manic episode. After all, a manic episode of bipolar disorder can be mistaken in some cases - especially in the very early formation -- for the lifting of the corresponding mood swing of the depression.

Click here to read the entire article

Terms of Service | Privacy Policy

Copyright 2004- 2021 , BipolarCentral.com