Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

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Why I Shut Down Over Small Decisions: A CPTSD Experience

A personal reflection on overthinking, emotional shutdown, and slowly understanding the patterns behind CPTSD.

The other day, I sat there for way too long trying to decide what to eat. It sounds small, but it didn’t feel that way in the moment.

I kept going back and forth—opening the fridge, closing it, just standing there like the answer was going to magically show up. I thought about cooking something, but even that felt like too many steps. Too many decisions stacked on top of each other. And the longer I stood there, the more irritated I got.

Not at anything specific. Just… everything. At myself. At the situation. And at being stuck in something so simple that I couldn’t get through it.

It felt like my brain just shut off over something that should’ve been easy. I ended up closing the fridge and going back upstairs because I couldn’t deal with it anymore. I went to bed hungry, irritated, and completely drained over something that shouldn’t have taken anything out of me.

And moments like that happen more than I like to admit.

It’s not just food.

It’s the same feeling when I’m writing and I keep re-reading the same paragraph over and over, changing things, changing them back, getting stuck in it instead of just moving forward.

My mind does this a lot. I replay conversations, pick apart tone, wording, timing—trying to figure out if I said too much, if I said the wrong thing, if I missed something. It’s exhausting.

Lately I’ve also been sitting with a decision I made recently. I don’t want to get into specifics, but I keep thinking about how I handled it, whether I went too far, whether my emotional state played a role. And it’s brought up a lot—especially around rejection, criticism, and feeling misunderstood.

And then I spiral into old thoughts about myself. Everything starts feeling personal. Everything feels like it says something about who I am.

I’ve noticed how quickly I turn things inward—how I blame myself even when it’s more complicated than that. How I apologize for things I wasn’t fully responsible for. How I carry things that were never all mine to hold.

For a long time, I thought this was just me.

So I pushed through it. Minimized it. Told myself to “get it together” even when I was clearly overwhelmed underneath everything.

But it wasn’t helping.

That’s when I came across Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).

I don’t say that like I fully understand it. I really don’t. But when I started reading about it, something about it felt uncomfortably familiar—like it was describing patterns I’ve been living in without having the language for them.

When people talk about trauma, it’s usually tied to something big and singular. That’s how Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is usually understood.

But CPTSD didn’t feel like that to me.

It felt quieter. Less like one defining moment, and more like patterns that build over time.

Not what happened once—but what kept happening. The environments. The emotional tone. The way you learn to read everything and adjust yourself without even realizing it.

Over time, your body just starts living in that state.

And I think that’s the part I never really understood about myself.

There’s a way I move through the world where I’m always slightly on. Always scanning. Always thinking ahead before anything even happens. Even when things are calm, there’s still this tension in me that doesn’t fully go away.

On the outside I function. I get things done. But internally, it’s a different story.

It’s overthinking that doesn’t stop. It’s feeling like I need to get everything right even when no one is asking me to.

And I didn’t really understand why I was like that for a long time.

What I’ve started to realize is that CPTSD doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it just looks like patterns you think are normal because you’ve always lived inside them.

For me it’s decision fatigue that turns into irritability, then shutdown. It’s something as small as choosing food becoming overwhelming. Simply saying yes when I actually want to say no, and only realizing after how drained I feel.

It’s feeling disconnected sometimes—like I’m there, but not fully there.

It’s being hyper-aware of people’s energy. Tone shifts. Small changes. Things that aren’t said out loud but still feel loud to me anyway.

And it’s wanting connection, but also feeling unsure once it’s there.

It’s exhausting in a way that’s hard to explain because nothing about it looks big from the outside. But inside, it is.

I think this is where things overlap for me in a way I’m still trying to figure out.

Growing up I was always a little out of sync. Quiet. Observant. In my head a lot. I learned early how to read everything around me—people, moods, reactions—just to figure out how to exist in it.

I adapted without even realizing I was doing it.

But that doesn’t just go away. It stays with you. It becomes how you move through everything—always adjusting, always thinking ahead, always trying not to get it wrong or take up too much space.

And then even simple things start to feel heavy.

Even standing in front of a fridge, trying to decide what to eat.

What I’m slowly learning is that these aren’t just random reactions or personality flaws. They’re responses. Things my mind and body learned over time just to get through stuff.

It doesn’t fix everything. It doesn’t stop the overthinking or the overwhelm. But it does change how I see it.

Instead of immediately turning on myself, I’m starting—slowly—to pause and ask something different.

Not what’s wrong with me… but what is this connected to?

And I don’t really have a perfect answer for that yet. I don’t think I need one right now.

But I am starting to understand myself in a way that feels a little less harsh. A little less like I’m the problem. And more like I’ve just been carrying things I didn’t really have words for. Maybe I’ve just been reacting to things that my body never learned how to let go of.

When do your “small” moments actually feel like something much heavier happening underneath?

“Trauma is not what happens to you, but what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you.” — Gabor Maté

#MentalHealth #ADHD #Autism #AutismSpectrum #Neurodiversity #PTSD #MightyTogether

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Saddest reality#CPTSD

When you give the ones you love, the benefit of the doubt, everytime, giving them the out, a white flag, after they betray you, and they dont take it. Thats your answer. Do not beg and do not spend years trying. They do not want repair, if communicationis nonexistent. https://Everytime.If you are the only one initiating the repairs, https://stop.The lack of discussions and communication about problems are crippling and the mistakes are https://mistakes.Its all a mess from lie after lie, to https://me.l
Do I give up on my kid? Uh,no!Never.
Is he sick? Is he on hard drugs or something?Or is the motivation only $$$ and a future without me? I dont see how and to continue pushing me far away again, confirms, all of it.
Why would he do this to me?Why are people hurting them like this, having them do these things to me? Using a person, whos already struggling and lying about it, to cover up something more heinous? For what? A https://house.A peice of something he will never work for? What everyone accused me of, even though I did work my ass off, for https://years.Im sad and sorry, for all the hurtful things I have said, the anger, the the lies they feel I deserve, upon my https://name.I thought it was protection.it was not, it was to harm, isolate and save eachother, not US as a family. I wanted me and Will, now thats impossible for https://me.I am alone. To purposely, harm me,in a way, that would push me over the https://edge.Theyve spent, three, years, doing https://it.Something is not adding up, still.

Post

Saddest reality#CPTSD

When you give the ones you love, the benefit of the doubt, everytime, giving them the out, a white flag, after they betray you, and they dont take it. Thats your answer. Do not beg and do not spend years trying. They do not want repair, if communicationis nonexistent. https://Everytime.If you are the only one initiating the repairs, https://stop.The lack of discussions and communication about problems are crippling and the mistakes are https://mistakes.Its all a mess from lie after lie, to https://me.l
Do I give up on my kid? Uh,no!Never.
Is he sick? Is he on hard drugs or something?Or is the motivation only $$$ and a future without me? I dont see how and to continue pushing me far away again, confirms, all of it.
Why would he do this to me?Why are people hurting them like this, having them do these things to me? Using a person, whos already struggling and lying about it, to cover up something more heinous? For what? A https://house.A peice of something he will never work for? What everyone accused me of, even though I did work my ass off, for https://years.Im sad and sorry, for all the hurtful things I have said, the anger, the the lies they feel I deserve, upon my https://name.I thought it was protection.it was not, it was to harm, isolate and save eachother, not US as a family. I wanted me and Will, now thats impossible for https://me.I am alone. To purposely, harm me,in a way, that would push me over the https://edge.Theyve spent, three, years, doing https://it.Something is not adding up, still.

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Must be difficult#CPTSD

Must be difficult living a lie, day in, day https://out.Chasing the stories and narratives you fabricated for years and with dozens of people...Telling people how difficult it is, to be with me, as an excuse for all the problems in the house, in your life and the reason why nothing is https://resolved.Im the reason? Ok.
After years in therapy, I know now, it is me.I, am the problem and now,my anger towards this frail image ego, you and your mother, https://built.I no longer will cater to the lies you have told people through your family and friends.
I didn't build it. I was home here,fighting my best, alone.

Telling people, Im out of it, having a bad day, on drugs, incapable and https://violent.When the emotional abuse from you and yours has been going on for years.Years.
I will heal, https://alone.I will be https://alone.I am alone and have been for years now in this home. I am tired of these two believing, a body is presence and bills paid is enough for a woman in the https://home.A provider doesn't only pay the https://bills.A provider, leads, gives grace, teaches,has patterns that are consistently growing forward, not stagnant and cruel. I will take all the blame, the fall and the hit, as https://usual.Thats what I do, for https://them.They can find a passive, mouse dumb good girl to dote,a yes girl,she can excuse and enable their aweful ways, all day. Call a woman names, belittle and talk to her like shes https://stupid.Mock her, go ahead.
A maid can clean theirs and make them eat, go to the Dr and still, take care of life, outside their one job. They do no wrong, the Boys, they, have never apologized, ignore the concerns and they, want to be left https://alone.That is my answer to all issues now, let it lie, sweep it away, ignore it, she'll shut up.

Post

Must be difficult#CPTSD

Must be difficult living a lie, day in, day https://out.Chasing the stories and narratives you fabricated for years and with dozens of people...Telling people how difficult it is, to be with me, as an excuse for all the problems in the house, in your life and the reason why nothing is https://resolved.Im the reason? Ok.
After years in therapy, I know now, it is me.I, am the problem and now,my anger towards this frail image ego, you and your mother, https://built.I no longer will cater to the lies you have told people through your family and friends.
I didn't build it. I was home here,fighting my best, alone.

Telling people, Im out of it, having a bad day, on drugs, incapable and https://violent.When the emotional abuse from you and yours has been going on for years.Years.
I will heal, https://alone.I will be https://alone.I am alone and have been for years now in this home. I am tired of these two believing, a body is presence and bills paid is enough for a woman in the https://home.A provider doesn't only pay the https://bills.A provider, leads, gives grace, teaches,has patterns that are consistently growing forward, not stagnant and cruel. I will take all the blame, the fall and the hit, as https://usual.Thats what I do, for https://them.They can find a passive, mouse dumb good girl to dote,a yes girl,she can excuse and enable their aweful ways, all day. Call a woman names, belittle and talk to her like shes https://stupid.Mock her, go ahead.
A maid can clean theirs and make them eat, go to the Dr and still, take care of life, outside their one job. They do no wrong, the Boys, they, have never apologized, ignore the concerns and they, want to be left https://alone.That is my answer to all issues now, let it lie, sweep it away, ignore it, she'll shut up.

Post

He hates me#avm #CPTSD

I understand my reactions, for the past year have https://escalated.I know why, how, who and recently, too much to process.Cruel, mean and sadistic beyond my mother's https://doings.My Son, mocked, belittled and has stolen my https://identity.I am frozen with https://fear.He wants to hurt me, bad, both of them https://do.I get it,they think I can go back to the maid, the cook, the driver, fun moments, https://only.People have said very aweful hurtful things to him against https://me.There is Never commitments or communication, no standard, no interaction and nothing to build together as a family.it was set up this way, to teach me a lesson.it backfired.
I would like to know, when, what moment, was I not, valued here?After what part of recovery.
Prior to my settlement because the wheels were just getting https://greased.And no one believed me then, from his https://world.All his and his mothers, friends and cousins impression, implications and gossip from outsiders and research behind her laptop." Shes having a bad day"And the people they brought back into my life that hurt my https://son.If you Abandon him, like all the rest, he will only get https://worse.He hurts and he makes poor choices and then he blames https://me.Its all my https://fault.My fault there's nothing, not this or didn'ttell https://him.Anything outside his schedule, is an https://inconvenience.I have patience but not when they create the chaos, and onto to others he's been https://told.Hes been hearing all against me his entire https://life.Hes my kid, they treated him the same way.
I want him and me out or Brian out. Or, All three https://separate.If he wants to stay with him, thats on them.one or the https://other.But they, want me out.im the odd one https://out.I will take time, put holds on all creditors, cards and make my lists of https://names.Why would he?

Post

He hates me#avm #CPTSD

I understand my reactions, for the past year have https://escalated.I know why, how, who and recently, too much to process.Cruel, mean and sadistic beyond my mother's https://doings.My Son, mocked, belittled and has stolen my https://identity.I am frozen with https://fear.He wants to hurt me, bad, both of them https://do.I get it,they think I can go back to the maid, the cook, the driver, fun moments, https://only.People have said very aweful hurtful things to him against https://me.There is Never commitments or communication, no standard, no interaction and nothing to build together as a family.it was set up this way, to teach me a lesson.it backfired.
I would like to know, when, what moment, was I not, valued here?After what part of recovery.
Prior to my settlement because the wheels were just getting https://greased.And no one believed me then, from his https://world.All his and his mothers, friends and cousins impression, implications and gossip from outsiders and research behind her laptop." Shes having a bad day"And the people they brought back into my life that hurt my https://son.If you Abandon him, like all the rest, he will only get https://worse.He hurts and he makes poor choices and then he blames https://me.Its all my https://fault.My fault there's nothing, not this or didn'ttell https://him.Anything outside his schedule, is an https://inconvenience.I have patience but not when they create the chaos, and onto to others he's been https://told.Hes been hearing all against me his entire https://life.Hes my kid, they treated him the same way.
I want him and me out or Brian out. Or, All three https://separate.If he wants to stay with him, thats on them.one or the https://other.But they, want me out.im the odd one https://out.I will take time, put holds on all creditors, cards and make my lists of https://names.Why would he?

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Prove it#CPTSD

Am I gullible, yes.
Am I too trusting, yes.
Do I bother people, Not at all.im home, alone.
Do I reconnect with those, who, don't know me? https://No.Do I watch other peoples lives online? No.
Do you? Yes.
Did people make it their business, to hurt me? yes.
Do I understand why? NO.
Have I asked?Have I asked it ti STOP? https://Yes.Multiple times.
Has it? No.
Am I a punchline, a scapegoat and gossip topic for insecurity? Yes.
Is it all contradicted by my actual life? Yes.
Are people that aweful?
It seems that way.
Was, I aware?Yes.
For years, three exactly.
And I waited for repair and they, wasted it,pushing me away.
Dead can, dance?Yes but Not so much, https://now.Every couple months Im reminded and removed, some https://more.Proved it with https://William.Show me proof my Son was with https://him.I will give Will his space and his reasons will stay in his heart and it will hurt https://him.He is, my https://world.I purposefully cut the cord and was honest with him and now regret that honesty about my https://life.Digging up some past relationships, collecting my ex's and taunting my family with it is sad and I'm afraid of https://them.I wish he'd get help, be clear and not be taken advantage of, by others, to hurt https://me.Two wrongs do not even out hurt or the damage caused by another. I have nothing now, have been shown who they are and what they are capable of. All involved, are https://complisant.I shouldn't have to wait for something to happen.
Prove https://it.Prove he did these things to me and I'll walk away.be honest with me and I will, leave https://quietly.Be transparent and I will let you live outside this house and you can have your girlfriends and your family, all your lives can merge as one and I get to live in https://peace.Everytime your goons show up, you are told and you flip it on me.no more horses, thunderstruck, whores or https://lies.You lie to me,daily, to my face, you, withhold and deflect instead of share and https://include.I am a dependant, not treated like a wife, spouse or partner, in any definition of the https://word.I am ashamed and https://embarrassed.I will be selling the car, my belongings and my son is not the one, I raised https://anymore.They made him mediate and be the messenger, the referee and criticized https://him.They used him, as a pawn. He is not https://okay.He is why I stayed,why is that wrong, to want a stable home and commitment for a kid? I am in this position because of my https://choices.I gave it all, to this house, to them and to others, to support https://others.I am wrong for not saving it https://all.I let him play me for a fool,I couldn't see https://it.How can someone do this to someone? Im no https://one.I have nothing and ask for nothing.

Someone with hero syndrome shouldn't cry being used, when they create the choas to begin with and are the ones using us.

Most common user reactions 2 reactions
Post

Prove it#CPTSD

Am I gullible, yes.
Am I too trusting, yes.
Do I bother people, Not at all.im home, alone.
Do I reconnect with those, who, don't know me? https://No.Do I watch other peoples lives online? No.
Do you? Yes.
Did people make it their business, to hurt me? yes.
Do I understand why? NO.
Have I asked?Have I asked it ti STOP? https://Yes.Multiple times.
Has it? No.
Am I a punchline, a scapegoat and gossip topic for insecurity? Yes.
Is it all contradicted by my actual life? Yes.
Are people that aweful?
It seems that way.
Was, I aware?Yes.
For years, three exactly.
And I waited for repair and they, wasted it,pushing me away.
Dead can, dance?Yes but Not so much, https://now.Every couple months Im reminded and removed, some https://more.Proved it with https://William.Show me proof my Son was with https://him.I will give Will his space and his reasons will stay in his heart and it will hurt https://him.He is, my https://world.I purposefully cut the cord and was honest with him and now regret that honesty about my https://life.Digging up some past relationships, collecting my ex's and taunting my family with it is sad and I'm afraid of https://them.I wish he'd get help, be clear and not be taken advantage of, by others, to hurt https://me.Two wrongs do not even out hurt or the damage caused by another. I have nothing now, have been shown who they are and what they are capable of. All involved, are https://complisant.I shouldn't have to wait for something to happen.
Prove https://it.Prove he did these things to me and I'll walk away.be honest with me and I will, leave https://quietly.Be transparent and I will let you live outside this house and you can have your girlfriends and your family, all your lives can merge as one and I get to live in https://peace.Everytime your goons show up, you are told and you flip it on me.no more horses, thunderstruck, whores or https://lies.You lie to me,daily, to my face, you, withhold and deflect instead of share and https://include.I am a dependant, not treated like a wife, spouse or partner, in any definition of the https://word.I am ashamed and https://embarrassed.I will be selling the car, my belongings and my son is not the one, I raised https://anymore.They made him mediate and be the messenger, the referee and criticized https://him.They used him, as a pawn. He is not https://okay.He is why I stayed,why is that wrong, to want a stable home and commitment for a kid? I am in this position because of my https://choices.I gave it all, to this house, to them and to others, to support https://others.I am wrong for not saving it https://all.I let him play me for a fool,I couldn't see https://it.How can someone do this to someone? Im no https://one.I have nothing and ask for nothing.

Someone with hero syndrome shouldn't cry being used, when they create the choas to begin with and are the ones using us.

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No thank you #CPTSD

Im not leaving or waiting for someone to save me.I have found it discouraging and disappointing my Son, again was used. Why adults feel the need to use a young man's life experience as gossip, to trash his mother and leave damage behind.I will heal, but he won't be able to address or recognize his place now.you have filled his head with lies from people who hurt people for fun.And to be wrong, again....for expecting them to want real relationships with communication. I want my son healthy,my family, Brian and Will and able to have a clear conversation with out being set up, dismissed or denied my place.Every time, Im at fault.Not one ever, no apologies ever.no repair.Nothing, everytime.

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