Difficulty with relationships may seem like a natural progression since each area mentioned thus far can affect how fruitful your relationships are. But, these challenges go beyond a lack in quality or richness. This refers more to a survivor’s potential to feel completely isolated from peers and not even knowing how to engage, to harboring an outright refusal to trust anyone (or just not knowing why they ever should)
From https://www.beautyafterbruises.org/what-is-cptsd/
I self-diagnosed CPTSD after looking over some material on Narcissism as a result of looking for answers as to why my family was so dysfunctional. My eldest sister is a fairly clear-cut histrionic Narcissist, who successfully warped everyone’s relationships for many, many years.
I do not have all the symptoms of CPTSD, and those I had are mostly gone or re-emerge only rarely. I out-grew my parents by the time I was in my mid-thirties, so finding out what had gone wrong became something of an obsession.
It was not until I met Wolfe in 2008 or so that I realised how fucked-up things were for me. Wolfe and I were born twelve days apart, and since I am very interested in alternative health anyway, I found his approach to the business fascinating.
To cut a long story very short, I did not stop crying uncontrollably for about three years. Then some stuff actually happened which made me cry some more.
The disbelief involved was astonishing. Then my friend Twisty, who has a more clear-cut case of CPTSD than I do, didn’t really understand what was happening and pulled me back into the lobster tank for another few years on the grounds of some of his other health problems.
So, it has been a long story, but I am glad I had the career break and very glad that I fell in love with Wolfe, ridiculous though it was. Oh God, I still can’t stop weeping LOL
Anyway, this type of post traumatic stress has a significant effect on your life, although it does not actually constitute a mental disorder as such, and has little effect on your ability to function.
It does, however, severely affect your personal happiness and interactions, and for this reason, the ‘I’m OK, you’re OK’ brand of self-help is extremely helpful.
The book I have about it is extremely practical, and is more about regulating your stress response than telling you you are a dreadful human, because chances are you are not.
For those who are not about to get it as a gift from an eccentric stranger, here is a link:
Complex Post Traumatic Stress, from surviving to thriving
I hope that explains things a bit, and will now go and do something other than beat myself up.