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Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), also known as "disorders of extreme stress not otherwise specified (DESNOS)", is a clinically recognized condition that is attributed to an individual suffering from either Traumatic Stress or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This clinical description is under consideration for inclusion in the next revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-V) as a formal, coded diagnosis.

The National Center for PTSD has describes C-PTSD as being the result of the individual experiencing a prolonged period (months to years) of total control by another. The other criteria are symptoms that tend to result from chronic victimization.

Complex post-traumatic stress disorder is characterized by a breakdown of previously effective social skills. Symptoms include:

• Difficulties regulation emotions, including symptoms such as persistent sadness, suicidal thoughts, explosive anger, or inhibited anger

• Variations in consciousness, such as forgetting traumatic events, reliving traumatic events, or having episodes of disociation (during which one feels detached from one's mental processes or body)

• Changes in self-perception, such as a sense of helplessness, shame, guilt, stigma, and a sense of being completely different than other human beings

• Varied changes in the perception of the perpetrator, such as attributing total power to the perpetrator or becoming preoccupied with the relationship to the perpetrator, including a preoccupation with revenge

• Alterations in relations with others, including isolation, distrust, or a repeated search for a rescuer

• Loss of, or changes in, one's system of meanings, which may include a loss of sustaining faith or a sense of hopelessness and despair

A future trauma and/or a symbolic re-enactment of a past trauma that is informed by emotional dysregulation can cause further failure of social or coping skills.

Children who have experience chronic maltreatment by their primary care-givers may develop C-PTSD. Treatment for C-PTSD must be multimodal and address various domains. (Cook, et. al., 2005)

Treatment

Treatment for C-PTSD requires a multi-modal approach (The National Child Traumatic Stress Newtwork, (2003). There are six core components of complex trauma treatment that have been identified in this white paper and by others (Cook, Spinazzola, Ford, Lanktree (2005):

1. Safety
2. Self-regulation
3. Self-reflective information processing
4. Traumatic experiences integration
5. Relational engagement
6. Positive affect enhancement

Treatment for those experiencing C-PTSD should address each dimension.

Sources

• Cook, A., Spinazzola, J., Ford, J., Lanktree, C., et. al., (2005) Complex trauma in children and adolescents. Psychiatric Annals, 35, 390-398.
• Ford, J. D. (1999). Disorders of extreme stress following war-zone military trauma: Associated features of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder or comorbid but distinct syndromes? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67, 3-12.
• Herman, J. (1997). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence from domestic abuse to political terror. New York: Basic Books.
• Roth, S., Newman, E., Pelcovitz, D., van der Kolk, B., & Mandel, F. S. (1997). Complex PTSD in victims exposed to sexual and physical abuse: Results from the DSM-IV field trial for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 10, 539-555.
• Cook, A., Blaustein, M., Spinazzola, J., and van der Kolk, B., (2003) Complex trauma in children and adolescents. White paper from the National Child Traumatic Stress Newtork Complex Trauma Task Force.

Also See

PTSD Cognitive Behavior Therapy Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy

External links

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• Recommended DSM criteria

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