Many cases of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are related to a single shocking experience or a limited cluster of such events. Complex PTSD (CPTSD) can develop when a person has prolonged exposure to stressful events, which can deeply impact the patient's personality.
Synonym: developmental PTSD
CPTSD develops after prolonged, chronic exposure to traumatic experiences, often starting in childhood. It can occur in a victim of child abuse and neglect.
Common traits include:
(1) low social support
(2) negative self-image
(3) disturbed interpersonal relationships
(4) poor resilience
(5) avoidance
(6) affective dysregulation
The differential diagnosis includes borderline personality disorder, which can overlap with CPTSD. Cloitre et al noted that borderline personality disorder was associated with impulsiveness, fear of abandonment, unstable sense of self, and unstable relationships.
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