Recognizing Somatic Symptoms of cPTSD
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) is categorized as having recurring traumatic or life-adverse events for an extended time. The events may vary in severity but are consistent, often beginning at a young age. Often complex trauma stems from a childhood void of consistent support from a reliable and available adult, which could be related to abuse, neglect, or the general lack of emotional or physical availability for any reason.Oftentimes, the adult in the child's life is undergoing unprocessed traumatic responses that leave the child feeling alone and having to take care of themselves and sometimes other adults. Other examples include being bullied, growing up in war, and repeated sexual abuse or molestation.
In this article, you’ll learn how complex PTSD can show up as physical symptoms in your body and therapy modalities to help address the root cause and help you heal.
cPTSD somatic symptoms can include:
Hypervigilance and startle response
People with CPTSD may be on constant high alert, expecting danger at any moment. This state of hypervigilance can lead to a startle response, where they become easily startled by sudden noises or unexpected touch.
Gastrointestinal issues
CPTSD can be linked to digestive problems, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), stomachaches, diarrhea, constipation, or other gastrointestinal discomfort. The gut-brain connection plays a role in these symptoms, as stress and trauma can impact digestive function.
Fatigue and sleep disturbances
Many individuals with CPTSD experience ongoing fatigue, exhaustion, and disrupted sleep patterns. This can include difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, nightmares, or non-restorative sleep, leading to constant tiredness.
Chronic pain
Individuals with CPTSD may experience persistent physical pain, such as headaches, migraines, back pain, or muscle tension. These symptoms can result from the body's physiological response to stress or the somatization of emotional distress.
Sensory sensitivities
Sensory processing difficulties are common in CPTSD. Individuals may be hypersensitive to sensory stimuli like light, sound, touch, or smell. This heightened sensitivity can contribute to physical discomfort and sensory overload.
Somatization disorders
Some individuals with CPTSD may develop somatization disorders, where they experience physical symptoms without an identifiable medical cause. These symptoms can include pain, gastrointestinal issues, neurological symptoms, or other bodily discomfort.
Treatment of complex PTSD
Somatic Experiencing Therapy
Somatic therapy is an evidenced-based, body-centered therapy modality that helps treat the physiological symptoms of people who have experienced trauma or adverse life situations.
Somatic therapy is based on the belief that trauma or stress can cause dysfunction in the nervous system and prevent people from fully processing their experiences. This creates the feeling of being stuck in an activation or stress response. Somatic therapy helps create a mind-body connection where folks can find self-regulation through the body and release the trauma or stress response by completing it with the therapist they did not have access to when the trauma occurred.
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is an evidenced-based structured therapy where clients are asked to focus on the traumatic memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation, often with eye movements, intending to reduce the vividness, emotion, and trigger associated with the memory. Sometimes a traumatic experience can resolve on its own, while other times, it can linger in the brain, which creates the feeling of being stuck in the past when one experiences triggers.
Click here to learn more about complex trauma and PTSD therapy.
Also feel free to contact me and learn more about my approach to trauma recovery.
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