Complex Trauma: What Is It and How Is It Treated?
Complex trauma is a term used to describe the repeated exposure to traumatic events, often occurring in childhood. Unlike a single traumatic event, complex trauma involves multiple, ongoing events that can have a profound impact on a person's development and mental health. Understanding the science behind complex trauma, how it manifests, and the treatment options available can help those affected find a path to healing.
The Science Behind Complex Trauma
When a person experiences trauma, their brain reacts by activating the "fight or flight" response. This is a natural way for the body to protect itself from danger. In situations of complex trauma, this response is triggered repeatedly over time. This can happen in cases of ongoing physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, or witnessing domestic violence.
Repeated activation of the fight-or-flight response can change the way the brain develops. The parts of the brain responsible for emotion regulation, memory, and learning can be affected.
For example, the amygdala, which processes fear, can become overactive, making a person more sensitive to stress. The hippocampus, involved in forming memories, might shrink, leading to difficulties in remembering details of traumatic events or even everyday occurrences. The prefrontal cortex, which helps with decision-making and impulse control, can also be affected, making it hard for someone to control their emotions or behavior.
How Complex Trauma Manifests
Emotionally, individuals with complex trauma might feel intense emotions, like fear, anger, or sadness. They might also feel numb or disconnected from their feelings. Many people struggling with complex trauma find it difficult to trust others and end up in dangerous behavioral cycles. These emotional challenges can lead to behaviors like self-harm, substance abuse, or eating disorders as ways to cope with overwhelming emotions.
Cognitively, complex trauma can lead to problems with attention, concentration, and memory. This can make it difficult to perform well in school or at work. Individuals might also experience negative self-beliefs, thinking that they are worthless or unlovable because of their traumatic experiences.
Physically, the stress from complex trauma can cause headaches, stomachaches, or other chronic pain conditions. Sleep problems are also common, including nightmares or difficulty falling asleep. These physical symptoms can be a result of the body's prolonged exposure to stress.
Treatment Options for Complex Trauma
The key principles behind trauma-informed treatment include the following:
Safety & Trust. It’s vital to ensure that survivors feel physically and psychologically secure in the care environment and with the provider.
Empowerment. This concept emphasizes moving from victim to survivor.
Collaboration and mutuality. Service providers work alongside survivors as partners. This approach respects the survivor’s expertise and experiences in their own life, and acknowledges the role of the service provider as the facilitator in the healing process.
Sensitivity and understanding. Finally, trauma-informed therapy involves recognizing the prevalence of trauma and its far-reaching impacts. It requires shifting the question from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”.
Brainspotting is particularly effective with trauma-based situations, helping to identify and heal underlying trauma that contributes to anxiety, depression and other behavioral conditions. It can also be used with performance and creativity enhancement. Brainspotting gives the therapist access to both brain and body processes. Its goal is to bypass the conscious, neocortical thinking to access the deeper, subcortical emotional and body-based parts of the brain.
Parts Work is another effective technique for the treatment of trauma. Within Parts Work therapy, you achieve trauma resolution by recognizing disowned parts and giving these parts a voice. Parts Work therapy addresses the differences and conflicts in “agendas” between parts that are usually responsible for gridlock in your emotional healing.
Next Steps
Complex trauma can have a deep and lasting impact on a person's life, but with the right treatment, healing is possible. If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of complex trauma, professional help can make a significant difference. Reach out to our office today to start your journey toward healing and recovery.