
If you’ve been involved in prolonged, repeated, or multiple traumatic events that negatively impact your life, see Cynthia Doodeman, PsyD, at Queer Notions Psychology in Shorewood, Illinois. She diagnoses and treats complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) to restore your mental health and overall well-being. Call her office to schedule a consultation, or use the online booking tab today.
request an appointmentWhat is complex PTSD?
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder, also called CPTSD, is a condition much like traditional PTSD. However, CPTSD results after prolonged or repeated traumatic life experiences.
Seeing Dr. Doodeman at Queer Notions Psychology can help you overcome barriers to living your best life while experiencing complex PTSD.
What are the symptoms of complex PTSD?
The common symptoms associated with complex PTSD include:
- Nausea or dizziness when thinking about past trauma
- Avoiding situations linked to past trauma
- Being in a continuous, heightened state of alert
- Loss of trust in other people
- Believing the world is dangerous
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble sleeping
- Feeling guilt, shame, or helplessness
- Relationship challenges
- Difficulty regulating emotions
- Intense anger or sadness
- Thoughts of suicide
- Amnesia of past trauma
- Fixations on getting revenge after abuse
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Being easily startled
You will likely experience multiple symptoms of complex PTSD, though the symptoms often vary from person to person or change over time.
What can cause complex PTSD?
Some of the common causes of complex PTSD include:
- Ongoing physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
- Experiencing human trafficking
- Being in a war
- Being a prisoner of war, refugee, or asylum seeker
- Childhood violence, abuse, or neglect
- Suicide in your family
- Ongoing poverty
- Substance dependence in your family
- Incarceration among family members
- Housing instability or being homeless
- Living in an unsafe environment
Certain situations may trigger negative thoughts and emotions. For example, common CPTSD triggers include conversations with other people, images, and smells.
How is CPTSD diagnosed?
Dr. Doodeman diagnoses CPTSD after discussing your symptoms and your medical history. She completes a psychiatric evaluation by asking questions about your mood, emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and past traumatic experiences. Dr. Doodeman then tailors a psychotherapy treatment plan based on your specific needs.
How is complex PTSD treated?
To treat complex PTSD, Dr. Doodeman offers a variety of psychotherapy strategies, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), prolonged exposure therapy, eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), emotion-focused therapy, experiential psychotherapy, and more.
She meets with you for about an hour each week, or as needed, virtually to help you through difficult situations and improve your quality of life. You may meet with her individually or as a couple if your condition affects your interpersonal relationships.
If you struggle with complex PTSD and need relief, schedule an appointment at Queer Notions Psychology by phone or online today.