…as if you are a "bad person.” CPTSD can leave you feeling unworthy of love, connection, acceptance, or peace. Even years after a trauma, the good things in life feel too good to be true, liable to vanish at any moment. It may feel like others are always on the verge of discovering just how "awful" you are, leading to distance and avoidance of intimacy.
…like your hostile inner critic runs your life, like anything you do is a wrong move. This voice beats you up over every little mistake. Or maybe you choose to simply do nothing to avoid feeling rage at yourself, and wind up feeling stuck.
…angst or irritation that arise at seemingly everything, everyone. You might feel as if "no one can do anything right," and wrestle with the fatigue of carrying so much resentment. Or perhaps others have been driven away from you, unsure of how to help you handle these feelings.
…significant difficulty in trusting and connecting with others. Maybe your friendships and relationships feel dangerously delicate: you might crave a deeper connection, but feel anxious that your authentic self is "too much" for others, and will drive them away. Perhaps you feel easily smothered by others' affection, yet still need their love.
…challenges in maintaining appropriate boundaries, leaving you frequently taken advantage of, used, and resentful.
