01/23/2026
PTSD and Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) are both responses your nervous system can have to trauma. They don’t always show up the same way.
PTSD is officially recognized in the DSM-5 and often develops after a single traumatic event. You might notice things like flashbacks, wanting to avoid reminders, feeling jumpy, or always being on edge.
C-PTSD isn’t a separate diagnosis in the DSM-5, but it is no less real. It often follows long-term or repeated trauma, often from childhood. Along with PTSD symptoms, you might struggle with emotions, self-worth, or relationships.
No matter which you experience, both PTSD and C-PTSD can cause feelings of being on edge, unwanted memories, sleep problems, cognitive difficulties, numbness, or not feeling safe in your own body.
The good news: both are treatable. You don’t need the right label to seek help.
A mental health professional can help you understand your experience and find support. Frontier Psychiatry is here for you, wherever you are in your healing journey.