Resolve to Rise

What Are the Characteristics of Complex PTSD? Understanding Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) To better understand Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), it’s important to first grasp the core aspects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Both conditions share many symptoms, but C-PTSD is distinct in its complexity and long-term impacts. What is PTSD? PTSD occurs when an individual is exposed—either directly or indirectly—to a traumatic event that involves actual or perceived threats to life. This exposure may lead to the following symptoms persisting for at least 30 days , significantly impairing daily life: Re-experiencing the trauma: Nightmares, flashbacks, and intrusive memories. Avoidance: Actively avoiding reminders, places, or people connected to the trauma. Negative thoughts and feelings: Difficulty remembering the trauma, persistent negative beliefs, and emotional numbness. Hyperarousal and reactivity: Heightened alertness, sleep disturbances, and difficulty concentrating. If these symptoms p...

After something difficult occurs, there are various ways people try to support.  Some responses are helpful and others are not.  "It can be like driving down a road in the dark." I was in a counseling program when my husband unexpectedly died in bed next to me. One of my colleagues (a future counselor and chaplain) later told me he avoided engaging with me, because he did not know what to say.   If a chaplain and future counselor doesn’t know what to say, what does that mean for everyone else?   It can be scary knowing how to show up when someone you know has suffered something significant. What do you say? How do you act? What if you say the wrong thing? Will you make it worse?  It can be like driving down the road in the dark. At some points, the only thing you may be able to see clearly are the lines on the road. And, that is when you focus your eyes on that to guide you home. When you don't focus on what you can see, you may be inclined to avoid driving in t...