Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) develops through long-term emotional stress or relational trauma, often beginning in childhood. Instead of one defining event, it arises from years of feeling unsafe, unseen or unsupported. This shapes the nervous system and influences how a person responds to life, relationships and their own inner world.
Common signs include persistent anxiety, overwhelm, numbness, shame, people-pleasing, difficulty with boundaries, chronic tension, digestive issues and sleep disturbances. Because many therapists are trained to recognise only single-event trauma, C-PTSD is often misdiagnosed or overlooked, especially in those who appear high-functioning.
The hopeful truth is that C-PTSD responds deeply to body-based, trauma-informed approaches that rebuild safety and connection, and help people return to a more grounded, authentic sense of themselves.
Complex Trauma, often called C-PTSD, develops when a person has lived through ongoing emotional or relational wounding. Rather than one dramatic event, it is the cumulative impact of years of feeling unsafe, unseen, criticised, controlled or unsupported. These experiences often begin early in life, in relationships that should have provided stability, care and protection.
Many people with C-PTSD don't realise their struggles have a trauma-rooted cause. They often describe themselves as "too sensitive," "too emotional," or "not coping well enough." In reality, their nervous system has been shaped by survival, not by personal failure.
Because C-PTSD affects both the nervous system and a person's sense of self, its signs can be varied and sometimes confusing. Common experiences include:
These are not character flaws. They are intelligent survival responses formed in environments where safety was inconsistent or absent.
Many therapists are trained to identify single-event trauma, not the slow accumulation of developmental or relational trauma. Because C-PTSD is still not fully recognised in certain diagnostic frameworks, it is often mislabelled as:
People can appear high-functioning, which further masks the depth of what they carry. This leaves many feeling misunderstood, unseen or as though "nothing quite fits."
C-PTSD responds well to grounded, body-based approaches that work with the nervous system, not just the mind. Healing often includes:
With the right support, the nervous system begins to settle. Clarity returns. Boundaries strengthen. And a steadier sense of connection, vibrancy and inner freedom emerges.
Read more about C-PTSD signs, symptoms and how healing happens