Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

This syndrome has been used as an explanation for reactions to abusive situations in court cases but has also been used as an educational tool in order to raise the awareness of the impact that domestic violence can have on women.

When an individual receives a diagnosis of complex post traumatic stress disorder, he or she has suffered trauma over a prolonged period of time.

Complex post traumatic stress disorder often occurs when a person has experienced long-term, repeated, exposure to emotional or social traumas or abuse that lasts for months, and in some cases, years. This condition is also known as:

• C-PTSD
• Complex - PTSD
• Disorders of extreme stress
• Complex trauma
• Developmental trauma disorder
   

After a traumatic experience, it’s normal to feel frightened, sad, anxious, and disconnected.
 Usually, as time passes, the upset fades and you start to enjoy life again. But sometimes the trauma you experienced is so overwhelming that you find that you can’t move on. You feel stuck with painful memories that don’t fade and a constant sense of danger. If you went through a traumatic experience and are having trouble getting back to your regular life, reconnecting to others, and feeling safe again, you may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). When you have PTSD, it can seem like you’ll never get over what happened or feel normal again. But help is available.