Ongoing abuse and neglect or multiple traumatic experiences may cause complex trauma and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Worsening symptoms may be a result of avoiding the memories and feelings of the traumatic experiences. This type of trauma may affect you cognitively, emotionally, in relationships, and behaviorally. Unless treated, it can cause you great disturbance in most areas of functioning.

 

In complex trauma, there are often disturbances of:

​​        -   Sleep;

​​        -   Appetite;

        -   Moods;

        -   Memory and concentration;

        -   Behavior;

        -   Ability to form and be in relationships;

        -   Ability to function in school or on the job.

 

In treatment, one often relives the traumatic experiences repeatedly. This process renders the event less scary, allowing a feeling of more control. This allows you to stop the traumtic feelings. In this way, you stop blaming yourself, realizing that you were a victim. This prolonged exposure to the traumatic memories help alleviate the symptoms. Additionally, ongoing abuse and neglect in childhood often leads to Attachment Disorder. This causes a lack of feeling of attachment to a parental figure, not feeling loved, not learning to love in return, and the main primary feelings are rage and anxiety.

 

Therapeutic models for treating all types of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder include:

        -   Eye movement programming;

        -   Prolonged exposure to the traumatic events, by repeatedly telling the story;

        -   Guided imagery;

        -   Relaxation;

        -   Aerobic exercise several times a week;

        -   Consulting with a dietitian to reduce consuming foods than increase anxiety;

        -   Meditation or yoga or other activity that relaxes both the body and the mind;

        -   Attachment therapy;

​​​        -   ​​​​​​​Learning to allow oneself to feel feelings and to express them.