Living with CPTSD: The Daily Struggle

Living with CPTSD can be debilitating. I have written a lot about the challenges it’s thrown my way, the many sleepless nights, the constant hypervigilance, and the emotional landmines that can appear out of nowhere. All things that can take over your life in ways you’d never imagine, and I wouldn’t wish them on anyone.

Unexpected Gifts from Trauma

And yet, as strange as this may sound, there are some things that having CPTSD and surviving trauma have given me. Strengths I might never have developed otherwise.

Some of those gifts include:

• Resilience that runs deep. I’ve been knocked down more times than I can count, but I’ve learned how to get back up, even if it’s messy.
• Empathy on a whole other level. I can sit with someone in their pain and really get it, because I’ve been there. I know how heavy it can be and how much it matters when someone just stays with you in it.
• A radar for truth. Years of navigating chaos have made me sharp at spotting what’s real and what’s not, whether it’s in people, situations, or even myself.
• Creativity born from survival. Writing, my art, and finding new ways to express what I’ve been through have all become tools, not just to cope, but to connect.
• An appreciation for peace. When calm moments come, I don’t take them for granted. I feel them in my bones.

The Reality of Pain and Growth

That said, none of this erases the pain or makes what happened “worth it.” The trauma shaped me in ways I never asked for, but it also gave me the ability to keep going, to give meaning to what I’ve survived, and to help others know they aren’t alone.

And maybe the best thing? It’s kept me from becoming bitter. It’s helped me see beauty in the world and reminded me to never, ever take it for granted.

I’m not saying I’m glad for what happened, far from it. If I could go back and change it, I would in a heartbeat. But I can’t. What I can do is choose what I carry forward.

Choosing What to Carry Forward

I get to choose to use my voice and speak up. To tell the real, messy truth about what living with CPTSD is actually like. And I get to choose to turn my pain into something that helps someone else feel a little less alone.

If you want to hear more about my journey, especially as a male survivor, check out my latest podcast episode, Breaking the Silence: A Male Survivor’s Truth. It dives deep into the challenges, the stigma, and the hope that comes with sharing your story.

Building a Future

We don’t get to choose our past, but we do get to decide what kind of future we want to build from it. And mine? I’m building one that still makes space for beauty, for happiness, and for peace, even if I have to fight for every bit of it.

What about you?

If you’re carrying your own struggles, whether it’s CPTSD or something else, I’d love to hear what strengths or unexpected gifts you’ve discovered along the way. Feel free to share in the comments or reach out anytime.

We’re all in this together.

Photo by Bhushan Sadani on Unsplash