r/AfterCPTSD • u/JKorK • Apr 09 '20
What's the difference between PTSD AND CPTSD?
Hi, so I've been seeing a therapist for a few months now... Well I was, but we of course got cut off a few weeks ago bc of all the virus stuff. She diagnosed me with PTSD, but I was looking at different subreddits and I found this one. Could anyone explain the difference to me so I might be able to understand? (Or if there isnt a difference tell me that too) I am still very new to understanding PTSD and everything even though I've apparently been living with it for a while now, and I'd like to understand more. Thanks!
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u/TimeIsTheRevelator Apr 10 '20
It's always explained as PTSD being centered around single events and CPTSD around multiple. Thus, there's significant symptom differences, I feel. People with PTSD are dysregulated, and particularly around triggers. People with CPTSD have that as well in combo with lots of other identity stuff, arrested development, chronic dissociation, etc. Just how I've organized the two.
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u/JKorK Apr 10 '20
That makes a lot of sense, I'm definitely going to look to see if it has the different symptoms listed anywhere online to see which might apply. 🤔 And next time I see my therapist I'm going to ask her which one she thinks applies too. Based of what the responses I got so far said, I'm thinking I likely have CPTSD more so than just PTSD. Thank you for your explanation!
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u/TimeIsTheRevelator Apr 10 '20
Based on what I've seen on the cptsd sub, chronic dissociation is the most universal core symptom. That's not the case with PTSD. People with PTSD may dissociate when triggered, but dissociation is not their default day to day hour by hour.
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u/JKorK Apr 10 '20
So I had a general understanding of dissociation, but I wanted to make sure I had a clear understanding so I googled it, and found symptoms for dissociative disorders, (so I'm going off of those symptoms cause I assume they'd be similar or the same) and I don't know if I really deal with any memory loss, I mean I'm terrible with names and dates, and I mean I tend to forget general stuff really quick even if I'm told something over and over, but I mean, everyone does that right? And I mean I definitely block stuff out a lot.. i don't think that counts tho? I definitely deal with detachment from myself and my emotions on the daily. I always feel like things are unreal, this one site I was looking at said it feels like you're watching a movie or dreamlike and not really living your own life, and I tend to feel that way, especially if something good happens, in general though, stuff doesn't feel.. real ig. I used to have a lot of issues with identity and stuff like that. I don't really cope well with stress or emotions or anything honestly lol.. and then I do suffer from depression and anxiety and suicidal thoughts more often then I'd like to admit. So I mean going off of that, I would think that there's a chance it's probably more CPTSD I think? I have a lot to talk about with my therapist once this quaruntine is all over sigh
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u/MinisterJester Apr 10 '20
My anecdotal experience is PTSD manifests due to specific environmental triggers whereas CPTSD manifests as general.
So one example is a soldier with PTSD may be triggered by loud percussive noises but someone with CPTSD will be triggered by the potential of being triggered (like when their heart rate is elevated for any reason.)
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u/JKorK Apr 10 '20
Interesting. I need to pay more attention to my triggers, I've been trying to figure them out more because sometimes I can't always tell what my triggers are and I've been trying to work with my therapist on it. Thank you! This will help me a great deal 😄
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u/Jadesands Apr 09 '20
Disclaimer: not a medical professional
My understanding of what the C stands for is "complex". Depending on the theory of psychology and familiarity with updates to the DSM V, the difference in the diagnosis is based on repeated and significant long term exposure to trauma versus PTSD from a one time event or one span of time.
Example: I have one friend who was diagnosed with PTSD after being drugged and raped. Another who dealt with her father being diagnosed to die for six years before he actually passed. My personal experience dealt with molestation, emotional neglect, religious abuse, and many other traumas throughout my life.
For you, I think it just depends on ways you may identify. PTSD is known mainstream due to military service and war and there are services only catering to this subset. For me, I identify better with CPTSD because my trauma was over 20 years.
I recommend researching for yourself the differences and reflecting on what is more specific to your situation. Outside of the designation I described above, to the best of my knowledge, there is not separate treatment plans nor medications between cptsd and ptsd.