I recently found myself in a debate about something that comes up more and more often in conversations about trauma: whether Borderline Personality Disorder is actually Complex PTSD. The conversation started with a pretty unequivocal statement: “Borderline Personality Disorder IS C-PTSD.” That didn’t leave much room for nuance. I understand why that idea resonates with […]
Why Success Can Trigger CPTSD
I’ve noticed something about living with CPTSD that I never expected. When something good happens, or we accomplish something we’re proud of, it isn’t always followed by a celebration. Instead, it can be followed by an emotional crash. It’s as though doing something positive comes with the expectation that the emotional bill is about to […]
Trauma & Religion: Why Faith Feels Unsafe
Live with trauma long enough and you notice something. People often hand you religion like a first-aid kit. Personally, I’m open to hard conversations and uncomfortable debates. Yet, being told to “have faith” or “pray about it” can feel like a slap in the face. The same goes for hearing “God has a plan” or […]
What CPTSD Actually Feels Like for Men
There’s a weird thing that happens when you’re a male survivor of childhood abuse and you grow up. You live your life without announcing what happened to you as a kid. There’s no guidebook to follow. You just sort of wake up one day as an adult who’s technically functional. On paper, you’re paying the […]
The Invisible Burden of Trauma
Unfortunately, people still underestimate what childhood trauma can do to a person. Most don’t get it because they’ve never had to live through it. Trauma changes your brain. It changes how you move through the world, how safe you feel, and how you trust, react, connect, and survive. The problem is trauma usually doesn’t leave […]
The CPTSD Shutdown Nobody Talks About
There’s a symptom of CPTSD that I don’t think people talk about enough. And that’s the emotional whiplash of being completely overwhelmed one minute and then absolutely nothing the next. Like your nervous system just slams the emergency brake. And let me tell you, this is a symptom that I still have regularly, even after years […]