How PTSD and CPTSD Became Distinct Diagnoses
How PTSD and CPTSD Became Distinct Diagnoses
Exploring the development of post-traumatic stress diagnoses, the recognition of complex trauma, and the research behind the distinction.
Understanding the history of PTSD
To understand why Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) is now recognised as distinct from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), it helps to look at how our understanding of trauma-related difficulties has developed.
PTSD was formally introduced into the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) in 1980 (American Psychiatric Association, 1980). This was an important step in recognising the psychological impact of traumatic experiences within a formal diagnostic framework.
However, researchers and clinicians continued to observe that some people who experienced prolonged, repeated or particularly severe trauma presented with difficulties that appeared to extend beyond the symptoms traditionally associated with PTSD.
For some individuals, the effects of trauma seemed to reach into their sense of identity, their ability to regulate emotions and their capacity to feel safe in relationships. These observations contributed...