Complex Trauma (CPTSD) and Destroyed Sense of Self

Broken. Worthless. Different. Destroyed. 

One of the main differences between PTSD and Complex PTSD is a destroyed sense of self.

What does that look like?

Imagine a soldier goes off to war and during the war finds themselves in the middle of a horrific battle. After the battle they find themselves having nightmares, reliving the harm over and over again, and riddled with anxiety. They have developed PTSD, also known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Before the soldiers left for war, they knew who they were and most likely had a solid support system of friends and family in place. Their recovery will be long and hard but because they knew who they were before they were injured, they can rely on that to help them heal.

But what about a child going through abuse during their formative years? Or an adult in a long-term abusive relationship where who they are is being crushed by lies and gaslighting.

A broken or lost sense of self is a key aspect of Complex Trauma.

People with C-PTSD do not know who they are at their core. They feel worthless and broken, often believing the lies of the people who harmed them because they don’t have a foundational truth to stand on.

Their loss of sense of self combined with poor relationship/attachment skills will make the road to recovery harder and rockier. Instead of being sure of who they are, they have become someone who places survival above identity.

People who have endured long-lasting, complex trauma will need time to help them figure out who they are.

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