Trauma survivors have symptoms of the trauma in their behaviours and thoughts, these are not their personality or character but are echoes of trauma. Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is mostly seen in those whose trauma occurred in childhood. When children go through prolonged trauma the brain is still developing and it interrupts the natural course of their psychological and neurological development. Trauma can be caused by ongoing emotional neglect or psychological abuse (it does not have to be a major catastrophic event).
Some symptoms of trauma are:
Depression
Irritability
Numbing
Loss of interest
Decreased concentration
Chronic pain
Headaches
Hopelessness
Shame and Worthlessness
Substance Abuse
Eating Disorders
Nightmares
Flashbacks
Hypervigilance
Mistrust
Feeling Unreal or Out of Body
Generalised Anxiety
Panic Attacks
Emotional Overwhelm
