What is the difference between CPTSD/PTSD and anxiety?

[Moose17]

I was abandoned in childhood and now I suffer from emotional flashbacks whenever I’m triggered by anything that remotely suggests to me that I’m about to be abandoned by someone I care about. When it’s really bad, I simply can’t function and fall into a type of depression. I avoid relationships altogether (have done so since I was abandoned), and generally find people triggering because of this fear of letting others get close to me. I also know I have social anxiety (have had this since I was very young), and I struggle with focusing and I also worry a lot about the future. 

I’ve been going to therapy for a while now, and my therapist has mentioned anxiety and attachment trauma, but has never raised CPTSD/PTSD. I’m not sure why, maybe because being told I have CPTSD/PTSD seems more validating to me than just being told I have anxiety, but I’m desperate to know what I actually have. Which brings me to my question - what is the difference between anxiety and CPTSD/PTSD? Does is sound like I have either of these? Or is it possible that all I have is anxiety? I know I should ask my therapist, but I’m very worried about being triggered if he tells me all I have is anxiety. I’m also genuinely curious about the differences because I know these all come under anxiety disorders in the DSM (excluding CPTSD which hasn’t been included).

[Bob_22]

Hi Moose17,

Welcome to the forums and thank you for sharing your story. I'm sorry to hear of your trauma and the anxiety/emotional flashbacks it causes for you. It sounds like it has been debilitating having to avoid relationships altogether. I hope you can find others on these forums with whom you find connection or a similar background. 

You ask a good question re PTSD. I'm not a professional but there are some resources available on this website. Here is a link on this website with info regarding PTSD: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety/types-of-anxiety/ptsd And here is some information regarding complex trauma: https://blueknot.org.au/resources/understanding-trauma-and-abuse/what-is-complex-trauma/ 

Please keep in mind, despite what your clinician diagnoses you with that you are not defined by your illness or its subtype. Everyone's experience of anxiety differs as does its severity. Just because you are not diagnosed specifically with what you originally believed it does not take away your experience of the illness. Often times, diagnoses are used as umbrella teams in which to group patients but does not dictate treatment. 

I've also found another thread here on the forums regarding Complex PTSD: https://forums.beyondblue.org.au/t5/ptsd-and-trauma/complex-ptsd-what-is-it-and-how-do-we-cope/td-p/... 

I hope you find some of this information helpful. Thank you so much again for posting your question and experience. Please keep us updated and remember that you are not alone. 🙂💙

Bob