10 Signs You Might Be Struggling with Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)

Complex PTSD, or C-PTSD, can develop after prolonged or repeated trauma, especially during formative years or in relationships where there was no escape or sense of safety. Unlike traditional PTSD, which is often linked to a single traumatic event, C-PTSD stems from ongoing exposure to overwhelming stress—such as childhood abuse or neglect, domestic violence, captivity, or emotional coercion. Many people struggle with C-PTSD without realizing it, attributing their symptoms to anxiety, depression, or simply believing they are "too sensitive."

Here are 10 signs you might be struggling with Complex PTSD:

1. Emotional Flashbacks

Instead of visual or sensory flashbacks, emotional flashbacks involve sudden, overwhelming feelings of shame, fear, or helplessness that are disproportionate to the current situation. You may not always know what triggered them.

2. Chronic Shame or Guilt

A deep sense of unworthiness or internalized belief that you are broken, bad, or fundamentally flawed—even when you rationally know that’s not true.

3. Difficulty Trusting Others

You may struggle to trust people, fear vulnerability, or feel constantly on edge in relationships, even when others have not given you a reason to distrust them.

4. Hyper-vigilance

A constant state of alertness or anxiety, always scanning for danger or expecting something to go wrong. This can lead to exhaustion and burnout.

5. Relationship Struggles

C-PTSD can show up as patterns of avoidance, clinginess, emotional dysregulation, or repeatedly ending relationships when intimacy increases. You may fear abandonment or feel unlovable.

6. Negative Self-Perception

Persistent self-criticism, feeling like a burden to others, or difficulty accepting compliments. You may often replay mistakes in your mind or expect rejection.

7. Emotional Numbing or Dissociation

Feeling disconnected from your emotions, body, or surroundings. You might go through the motions of life while feeling numb or like you're watching yourself from a distance.

8. Difficulty Regulating Emotions

Experiencing intense mood swings, outbursts, or prolonged periods of emotional overwhelm, often without a clear external cause.

9. Feelings of Hopelessness or Despair

A sense that nothing will ever change or improve, leading to feelings of helplessness or despair about the future.

10. Intrusive Thoughts or Nightmares

Recurring unwanted thoughts or disturbing dreams related to your past experiences, even if the exact trauma is hard to recall.

If you recognize yourself in several of these signs, know that you are not alone—and there is help available. Complex PTSD is not a life sentence. With the right support, including trauma-focused therapies like EMDR and IFS, healing is absolutely possible.

At Shifting Tides Therapy, we understand the nuanced nature of complex trauma and offer compassionate, evidence-based approaches to help you reconnect with safety, trust, and your authentic self.

Ready to begin the healing process? We’re here to support you every step of the way.