Understanding the mind-body connection in Complex-PTSD
PTSD is more than a brain disease. Human beings are not simply a chemical stew that needs a little “salt here or pepper there” to fix them. Time and time again I have come across the knee-jerk reflex respond of colleagues in trying to find the right medication as soon as they have identify a symptom, be it depression or anxiety. Their next thought is always trying to find the latest drug for depression or anxiety. We can do better than that. We must do better than that.
Treatment of Complex PTSD should include assessing the biological, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of a patient’s life. In PTSD, the entire body-mind system has been overwhelmed by a tremendously potent destructive force. The result is that the individual is dis-empowered. The dis-empowerment often manifests as an almost complete loss of confidence in coping with the ordinary ups and downs of life. Therefore, we must look at the entire life of the patient to pro-actively assist in their re-empowerment.
The neurological system of individuals with PTSD has been damaged. It has been re-set to hyper-vigilance, like an alarm system that has been accidentally set to be hypersensitive. It is as if you are in a house with a motion-sensor that will not stop setting off the alarm. There are only a few small corners in which you can move without setting it off, because it is ready to go off with the blink of an eye. Imagine how difficult your life would be if you had to constantly suppress blinking your eye, and how terrifying it would be to know, as you uncontrollably blink, that alarm is about to start screaming. One shouldn’t be surprised at the speed with which flashbacks and re-traumatization occur.
Through the impact of trauma, PTSD is not only a brain (autonomic nervous system) disease. it is also a psychological disorder. Now in hyper-vigilant state, the tiniest cue will set off a huge autonomic storm. One’s bodily reactions trigger the traumatic state of mind just as the memory of trauma triggers one’s bodily reactions Together, they mutually suppress, if not destroy, the memory of what it was like to feel secure and at peace.
The thought processes of the Complex PTSD individual are overwhelmingly preoccupied with fear, distrust and loss of confidence. The individual cannot perceive any hint that there is a pathway to even a moment of tranquility. The individual is constantly living in the past, poised to re-experience the trauma of being attacked, or facing another earthquake or explosion. The whole autonomic nervous system is now detoured toward re-traumatization.
Meanwhile, the fundamental question of what is the meaning of life and its purpose is thrown out of kilter. Questions arise with only angst, not answers, like: “Why is this happening to me?” or, in a sick family, “ Why was my sister spared when I was chosen to suffer?”
Given the depth of the impact of the trauma at the root of Complex PTSD, there is no reason to expect that a simple solution, such as deep brain stimulation, or a magical pill is going to heal such a condition. While these things may help, we need to accept that more is needed to bring about healing in the individual. We need a multi-pronged approach.
