This is your brain on trauma.

Dr. K’s Guide to Mental Health explores Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, and Meditation, and now Trauma!
With 150+ video chapters in a Final Fantasy-inspired skilltree, the new Trauma module is available for preorder! bit.ly/3GaubzI
Comprehensive mental health resources here: explore.healthygamer.gg/menta...
DISCLAIMER
Healthy Gamer is an online community and resource platform for gamers and their families. It does not provide medical services or professional counseling, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care. Our coaches are peer supporters, not professionally trained experts, and they cannot provide medical service. If you or a loved one are experiencing an emergency, please call your nation's emergency telephone number.
All guests of Healthy Gamer are informed of the public, non-medical nature of the content and have expressly agreed to share their story.

[@anxav]

*Introduction & Disclaimers:* 08:48 *Community Requests & HealthyGamer Guide:* 10:28 *What is CPTSD?:* 16:23 - Prevalence of PTSD & CPTSD: 16:43 - History of PTSD & CPTSD: 18:07 - Core Features of PTSD: 21:06 - Illustration of PTSD: 21:58 - Chronic Trauma & CPTSD: 26:33 - Visualizing PTSD vs CPTSD: 27:58 - Early Trauma & Perpetrators: 30:09 - Judith Herman & "Trauma and Recovery": 31:18 - Bessel van der Kolk & "The Body Keeps the Score": 33:25 *Understanding Trauma:* 33:47 - Hyperarousal: 35:04 - Dissociation: 41:18 - The Role of Emotions: 47:58 - Loss of Identity: 50:22 - Impulsivity & Paralysis of Initiation: 59:51 - Relationships & CPTSD: 1:03:42 - Relationships & Disturbed Sense of Self: 1:14:36 - Recap: CPTSD & its Impact: 1:18:22 *Treatment & Recovery:* 1:21:10 - Trauma as Adaptation: 1:21:39 - Rewiring Physiology: 1:22:46 - Reconnecting with Emotions: 1:30:33 - Articulating Emotions & Language: 1:37:13 - Social Cognitive Emotions & Relationships: 1:43:44 *Video from the HealthyGamer Guide: Paralysis of Initiation:* 2:03:21 *Q&A:* 2:21:11 - Disagreeing with your therapist: 2:22:19 - Going to therapy for the first time: 2:32:34 - Differentiating ADHD and CPTSD: 2:26:32 - CPTSD, Addiction, & Sense of Worthlessness: 2:34:29 - Trauma from incubator experience: 2:39:19 - Impact of different household styles on CPTSD: 2:40:23 - Safety & Trauma Healing: 2:42:09 - Bringing up CPTSD with a therapist: 2:49:23 - Explaining CPTSD to a family member: 2:52:56 - Will trauma ever go away?: 2:57:26 - Addressing trauma sources in the world: 2:58:03 - Building a sense of self: 3:00:09 - Resisting trauma treatment: 3:00:44 - Curing CPTSD: 3:01:26 - Trauma treatment & happiness: 3:02:14 *Closing Remarks & Trauma Guide Preview:* 3:09:20

[@henkster6067]

You're definitely goat! Thanks so much

[@ItsDrMcQuack]

Holy crap, dude. Thank you!

[@abcdefzhij]

Goat

[@geometrak4999]

You are an absolute saint

[@vickileekx]

Thanks again!! ❤

[@name-hf2ht]

interesting how abusive childhood home survivors get compared to prisoners of war. it certainly did feel that feel

[@Sky10811]

look into Hoffman process 1 week in your country, if you can afford it. best thing i ever did to address my childhood in a,dysfunctional family

[@unicorn-glasses]

It makes so much sense when you look at it from a neurological and developmental angle, that's what helped me realize why I was so affected. A little kid's brain doesn't know that they're not necessarily in danger of being k.i.lled, it just knows that you're in the most danger that you have ever been in. So seeing a raised fist while your parent is screaming means the same thing to your brain that a POW's brain experiences when seeing one of their captors approach with a weapon. And it's the same situation of NEVER being safe. The people who are providing for your needs could snap and harm you at any time so you can't let your guard down, ever. Idk, I may be off but I think about my experience that way now and it made me feel like I can maybe heal from it someday.

[@lejlateletovic5225]

Imagine growing up in abusive household AND in a warzone. As a friend of mine said: "War in home, war on the streets." (We're from Bosnia)

[@brunscus]

​@@lejlateletovic5225 that sounds unfathomably hellish, I hope you are ok now

[@daisyfe3t]

Absolutely! Reading The Body Keeps The Score and finally having someone be able to explain my brain when I couldn't and it being compared to being a veteran/someone in armed forces absolutely destroyed me in the best way possible because I was able to finally piece myself together from the scraps my parents tore me down to. It was incredibly sad yet freeing in a weird way. Hope you are finding or have found the life, joy and healing you deserve ❤️

[@tanvib9778]

it was so comforting to hear Dr K say the C-PTSD is something one can heal from

[@chocomental]

Yes, I’ve done a lot of reading online around CPTSD and the overarching sentiment was that it can’t be cured, and it’s something you’ll have to deal with for the rest of your life. I’ve felt very hopeless for a long time… maybe there is hope after all.

[@detBits]

I'm in remission for CPTSD, it IS possible and SO SO worth it!! I believe in you, but the best results come when you begin to believe in yourself. I wish you a peaceful road to recovery.

[@Avzigoyhbasilsikos]

I recommend the works of Lisa Romano 🙏🏾, you will heal sister

[@timefortee]

​@@chocomentalIf you had experienced it in early childhood, it may have shaped you in ways that can no longer be fully reversed, BUT you can heal from a very large portion of the negative stuff.

[@LauraAmanda8888]

Struggled with CPTSD for 20 years and finally in a good relationship.. I'm struggling so much with being anxious, angry, isolating, avoiding, hypervigilance... I don't even know what healthy is. I hope I can be a better partner.

[@Sycophantichallenger]

Hey u, I see u in myself. The sentiment of "I don't know what healthy is," or for me, it's more, I don't know what it is to be "good", truly good. Not just putting on a social face that meets the very basic criteria for what "good" looks like, but genuinely a good person. I doubt it very much sometimes. The fact that I'm not outgoing, the fact that I delve deeply into myself as I've been exploring my trauma recently, I find myself in a state of questioning all my assumptions about myself. And there is something very very deeply hidden within me which constantly whispers up through my consciousness stack that I am bad and not worthy of love. They whisper to me that any efforts anyone expends on my behalf are wasted efforts, because I was not worth the effort to begin with. This genuinely hurts, and it is a lie that was instilled in me, but it is a deep, painful cut.

[@SiliconChimera]

​@@Sycophantichallenger Pete Walker's book and essays on complex PTSD might help you deal with the inner critic. The neuroaffective relational model could be another avenue. When in doubt, imagine a stranger or perhaps a child in your position expressing the same doubts and feelings of unworthiness and generally being "less than". Whatever you might tell them, tell that to your current self.

[@goldythefish36]

Well I'm not sure I have any authority over this topic but I would suggest being open with your partner about your struggles and how you may unintentionally or unknowingly do these things. This way if anything does happen they would be better prepared for that and not be as shocked, or whatever they may feel. Good luck!

[@czmAvery]

​@SiliconChimera I've also gotten great mileage out of "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel Van Der Kolk. Very, very good for understanding what's going on in my head and what I can do about it.

[@samuelgomez9124]

I can relate to this so much. I get episodes of extreme anger, which I related to when he mentioned the "seizure" likeness. The emotional disconnection that I get afterwards makes it super hard for me to co-live with my partner and daughter. Currently in therapy, hoping I can at least get rid of the episodes before my daughter has to experience it.

[@alexpark2359]

Dude and his team are informing the next generation of mental health

[@kevindon2133]

This video will save lives

[@cliftut]

I'm not sure if you mean the next generation of people, or the future of our understanding, but I agree and think he's doing both, and even passing on the humble wisdom that he's doing it imperfectly. And that taht's okay, because it's just the next step.

[@kevindon2133]

@@cliftut I just mean in the sense that it’s so difficult to get well informed about these things without going to therapy. I don’t have health insurance and don’t have extra cash for therapy, but hearing him describe these various issues in depth makes me feel like I’m not alone, and that there’s also a path to recovery! I used to feel like “I’m the only person dealing with this specific of an issue” and this makes me feel seen. I’m sure his videos do that for many others who haven’t had the resources/motivation to go to therapy yet.

[@eldonscott9]

CPTSD: From Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker will blow your mind and support you in ways that you need if you have CPTSD.

[@johannakeller7209]

Yes! also, Tim Fletcher here on KZbin is phenomenal, he is diving really deep into every aspect of CPTSD and helped me a lot.

[@appletree6898]

I had a panic attack at work today because I thought I messed something up that turned out to be fine. I've been at the job for eleven years and am a valued employee. I wouldn't have gotten fired, or even experienced major consequences, but I felt terrified and worthless and couldn't bear the thought of letting people down. I know it's because of my experiences growing up. I'm working hard in therapy, and life is mostly good now, but if it ever seems like someone, especially an authority figure, might get angry with me, it can send me back to those childhood feelings. I realized later that a coworker that triggered me was probably dealing with his own childhood stuff. But nobody wants to talk about it in a workplace. You just learn how to step around each other's "quirks" and "eccentricities," which are likely trauma symptoms showing up in different ways for different people.

[@kapsi]

It's harder to deal with those feelings, when you've actually been fired in the past

[@MarkThrive]

I work high tech and feel your sentiments with regard to emotional triggers at work.

[@MarkThrive]

Because we are in therapy for CPTSD we have the advantage as we are aware of our body response to situations. We also have agency to take a time out if needed to self regulate/integrate any parts that might be triggered.

[@MarkThrive]

I'm two years into therapy and consider myself still on the Surviving side of the spectrum w/ my goal toward Thriving! I'm finding myself journaling a lot of the nervous system responses at work and sharing them with my trauma therapist. It's something I look forward to... as I try to reparent/build healthy self agency.

[@samysue10]

@@MarkThrive I have been finally healing these past few months from a lifetime of ptsd since I was a child. It’s possible! It took me a few years of really hard work researching, catching my triggers and doing lots of breathwork to calm myself down after the triggers, I check on my emotions and even check on the tension in my body and how it feels throughout the day and it gives me an idea of my stress levels, I try to meditate every day but still struggle with consistency. I used to have panic attacks every day, not be able to socialize and become very depressed, I would get paranoid people were secretly hating me and when I would see people look at me it would almost give me a jump scare kind of feeling. I would get so scared and hide in the bathroom and have to call out of work or leave early. It made me lose many jobs and really really sucked. I almost killed myself many times and I would maladaptive daydreams and disassociate. I got addicted to videogames and weed and would never leave the apartment. But I kept trying to find a good therapist, kept trying different meds, and kept researching my symptoms online and when I found dr k it finally connected the final puzzle pieces I need. Meditating was what changed the game for me so I highly recommend it.

[@gutter_seedling]

Dr. K starts at 8:50

[@guusgeluk3693]

legend

[@pebblebrookbooks4852]

Thank you.

[@zackkunkel9495]

Thanks

[@jamessmyth3952]

Seriously who edits these videos

[@nerosparda5]

@@jamessmyth3952this is a livestream

[@thetaxgawd]

Now I know why my sabbatical hasn't led to a wonderful travel experience, new hobby, or a quick return to the workforce out of boredom or excitement....I realize I've run on momentum my entire life and momentum is gone. I never have an urge out of incentive, joy, desire, commitment, goals, just chugging along and getting along until I was so burnt out I didn't want to do anything and I was always just working or existing.

[@Pensnmusic]

Stop attacking me, I'm doing fine! (I hope things get better. I hope you have access to the resources you need)

[@thetaxgawd]

@@Pensnmusic Thank you 🙏

[@asasgm8618]

existing is so hard with CPTSD. I moved to a remote place and just find myself doing absolutely nothing all day

[@silverphoenix4934]

And the worst in that is if you still have toxic people you depend on, than doing nothing all day becomes soothing ​@@asasgm8618

[@GingerSnapps07]

I felt this. Gaining that momentum has been a struggle. My momentum has been coming out of negative emotion. Probably not good, but it feels better than sitting stagnant. I hope you find a way to get your "ball rolling". Good luck

[@veagrace]

I’m diagnosed with both CPTSD and BPD and developing a stronger sense of identity has been the most helpful thing for me by far in regards to recovery

[@xXTiggaBoBXx]

How'd you do that?

[@trappart9209]

Yes, explain please

[@Haitch12341]

@@xXTiggaBoBXxi completly lost mine at one point and for me i just completly decided these are the things i am and decided to do things according to that decpite if i belived it or not and eventually it just became who i am

[@kibblesnbits3174]

I have the similar diagnoses, except military related PTSD. How did you find a stronger sense of identity? I don't even know who I am or who I want to be. Like an empty shell, an NPC.

[@HaVoCX64]

CPTSD patients are the most difficult to work with, dissociation, flashbacks, nightmares. i feel really sorry for them everytime they come to my hospital

[@Sky10811]

..and also insomnia..

[@jacobwilliams676]

Wait those aren’t normal…

[@josyhavik]

you're describing primarily ptsd symptoms, not cptsd

[@Sky10811]

@josyhavik not exactly, the cptsd has the same ones. at least i had

[@cliftut]

​@@josyhavik There's overlap, particularly for CPTSD from abuse, depending on the type of coping modes the child develops, as I understand it.

[@KoharuMacchiato]

I LOVE that you validated the existence of CPTSD! I had a crisis line operator about 2 years ago told me that CPTSD doesn't exist and even if I did, I didn't have it. Like I'm no professional but I'm pretty sure that is NOT what you say to someone on the CRISIS LINE! It's wild to me that many mental health professionals I have seen have never heard of CPTSD. LOVE YOUR VIDEOS DR. K!

[@SomeBody-ce3gq]

Bro that's some serious gaslighting wtf 💀 not only is cptsd real, but you also need a trauma - specialized therapist, other therapists can say completely wrong things. Source: I've tried a few therapists, specialized and not

[@zkxnkj534]

my psychologist also told me I can't have it bc being cheated on and left repeatedly isn't bad enough for it to happen

[@KoharuMacchiato]

@@zkxnkj534 they said what?!? Dang that’s so terrible! I hope you found a new psychologist! 😢

[@zkxnkj534]

@@KoharuMacchiato I have, but it took me a few years to be able to open up again to someone

[@krembryle7903]

This was exactly what happened to me. I had interests when I was a child, biology and art. My father told me both are useless and I should work in IT or become a doctor. I became absolutely not interested in anything in life, so my father took it as a permission to push on me his interests "because he saw I didn't have any, didn't want me to rot in boredom and if he saw I was passionate about something he would let me do that (which honestly I think isn't true, he would make it for me as hard as possible)". That resulted in our poor relationship and me going no contact later.

[@igotbluesdevils]

Even if out of the best intentions, fathers can really fuck you up

[@UmiArtAngel]

This is my exact experience almost, don’t feel alone, I’m 28 and just now going to school and taking classes and working at a music store as well as another job that I hope to quit to leave my 9-5 to pursue music production, my dreams have been put on hold and actively denied and kept from me out of my reach be it through circumstance or individuals like our fathers. Plz don’t give up I know it occurs to you too that your art is useless please know it isn’t and those are just the ugly ghostly echoes of all the people who have tried to keep you from your dream. Now I’m so sad and low that I’m just now getting to do this in my life feels like my youth was ripped away from me, but just keep your dreams alive no matter how weak they become they can get stronger when you start healing. ❤️‍🩹

[@TheRealGirlgamer]

Have you considered a doctorate in Biology?

[@Window4503]

That's so dumb. Art makes and drives our culture, and biology...I don't think I need to explain why that's important. I hope you've been able to get creative since then or rediscover your own interests. .

[@francestaylor9156]

Yep. My mom pushed music on me even though I was good at and preferred art. She was living what she wished her life was like through me. She never saw me and is STILL like that. I don’t blame her bc she also inherited the CPTSD from her mother but that doesn’t mean I want her toxicity in my life or for my kids. She’s 75 and still like this. Both my brother and I limit contact with her as much as we can. It’s sad but it’s the only way we can keep someone that toxic at arms length away from us.

[@Aidenxn]

I was sexually abused as a child by my own sibling. I grew up very sexually active in my teens, always struggled with my emotions, was diagnosed with general depression in my teens, still struggle with my emotions, mainly anger, at almost 30. Had postpartum depression, and for the longest time until a few months ago, had passive suicidal thoughts. I never knew or associated what happened to me as a child to affect me so much in my adulthood, or my whole life in general, but specifically adulthood. At some point, I couldn't even have intercourse with my husband because of actual intrusive thoughts and I'd break down crying. These videos and others, have helped me so much come to terms and really try to better myself, I still struggle but me and my husband do see an improvement in myself. Thank you for talking about cptsd. ❤

[@reisatsuki5891]

I wish he could make a follow up video on how neurodivergency and CPTSD manifested together

[@allikin75]

This.

[@riry0ku]

Yes this please. I've recently learned of a term "acquired neurodivergence" and I'd be interested to hear Dr Ks input on that. Specifically for me this would relate to trauma and ND traits.

[@ashsanquer4612]

From knowing a lot of neurodivergent people and being neurodivergent myself, I've noticed that a lot of us, especially those who went undiagnosed during childhood, end up developing some some form of C-PTSD from simply growing up in an environment that is tailored towards neurotypical people. A lot of us struggled with being treated differently by our peers at school, being punished/scolded at home for behaving in neurodivergent ways (eg. being punished/scolded for forgeting things, struggling with homework, not getting social cues), and then on top of that being singled out and treated differently by teachers and the school system in general. It leaves us feeling like there is something fundamentally wrong with us because everyone expects things from us that we are simply incapable of, and as the years pass it becomes an incredibly isolating experience, you don't want to act like yourself because you've learned it only brings you bad things but acting like a "normal" person drains you of all your energy and joy. Sorry if this is overly specific but the amount of neurodivergent people I know who have this exact experience is worrying.

[@BernardoPatino]

​@@ashsanquer4612felt this very deeply, virtual hug 🫂

[@cmednc]

CPTSD can be present in individuals with Autism especially non verbal as they are unable to communicate their wants and needs in all environments. I strongly recommended looking into the ACES study as neurodivergence can actually be inherited trauma from the parent. It literally passes on through DNA.

[@naticen]

I always feel like I've got a few traits of everything such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, even autism, and I even have a diagnosis of a couple of them. Then this explanation of cptsd and how these traits can show in everyone and how my childhood was full of this type of ongoing trauma really helps me find where I fit in and where to work on things. Thanks so much for this explanation and I look forward to using the trauma guide.

[@b.szymanska9227]

Yeah, this one can be tricky and you can end up feeling misunderstood and like a misfit, coz they’ll give you all the labels that just doesn’t feel right. Actually so many labels fit us that some people can just stop looking for the right one and give up. Good thing we have dr K 😌

[@brunscus]

1:02:00 impulsivity I think is also result of the fact that you know you don't normally have any emotional drive to do anything, therefore to actively live, to be alive. You want to but you can't, you just don't have it. So when an impulse comes around, you grab onto it and move forward with it, cause you gotta frickin try, you need to break the lethargy somehow. It really sucks to live like this, and it takes such a painfully long time with constant dedicated effort to gradually very slowly get better. Maykeit has been a blessing, thank you dr K and team ❤

[@guzmaynard8768]

Your comment is making me bawl, I struggle with this, and it is hard to generate hope that the situation is changeable for any decent length of time. I hear and so feel your words. Bless you xxx

[@brunscus]

@@guzmaynard8768 it is changeable, only in the long term. There are cycles of expansion - contraction. Advancing and integrating, three steps forward two backwards. Extremely frustrating, but possible and worth it. Just keep on going even when you don't believe in it. Cause the alternative is giving up, and that cannot be an option, if you've met people that gave up you know that is not an option. It'll be alright, just stay committed to yourself and your growth. Blessings to you xxx

[@bran8370]

I had to stop the video after about 30 mins (I'll come back to try to watch it later). You've really hit on something here 🙁. My therapist recently told me I have a lot of trauma-response like behaviors. This has led me to try to start researching c-ptsd, since the symptoms lined up. And watching this video is really hitting a nerve. Thanks for this. I'll come back when I'm more emotionally prepared. I feel like I'm getting closer to finding answers to why I am the way that I am (avoidant, extremely low self esteem, lifelong relationship/commitment issues, high anxiety, etc). Please keep doing what you're doing Dr. K. 💖

[@Sky10811]

search for Hoffman process 1 week in your country if u can afford it

[@josh34578]

Tim Fletcher has a ton of videos on complex trauma if people need some additional resources.

[@jimbobsconscience5159]

I watch those too 😅

[@heatherpratt1551]

The GOAT

[@cliftut]

I want to note: CPTSD type effects can happen even if parents aren't obviously neglectful or abusive, and even if they are well-intentioned. "Emotional malnutrition", as I call it, seems to be the core issue. Loving parents can have disabilities, emotional issues of their own, practical problems like money issues, difficulty connecting with a child due to personality differences or neurodivergence in parent or child, their own traumas or subtler things from their past, etc. Also, a lot of time is spent at school and the damage can happen there, compounded if the parents don't know or can't help for reasons that may be out of their control. Exposure to frightening information about the world also occurs much more frequently at young ages via technology and other reason these days, too. I think "innocent harm", just due to the conditions of human life, is something that gets overlooked, and often times there's little fair blame to be placed because of where everyone was at emotionally and knowledge-wise. Parents can't do what they don't know how, can't see what they don't know exists. So for those who notice they have the symptoms or patterns yet never felt neglected or abused, and knew their parents cared, this could be an explanation. Of course, when neglect or abuse occur it can also be hard to realize, so it shouldn't be ruled out. The point is that sometimes emphasis is placed on blame or finding out "who was responsible" when it's really not the problem. Sometimes the problem is simply the tragedy of life. Thankfully, the same paths to healing generally apply. So even if you don't see yourself as neglected or abused, your emotions and sense of safe connection may not have been nurtured, or suffered damages. So seek out your malnourished or poisoned emotions and heal them. Best wishes!

[@gingerauburnredhead8034]

Thank you this is how I’m learning to view things and recognizing that I may have been traumatized by seemingly “innocent” events where the lesson I learned was to hide my mistakes and feel shame; there was no way for anyone to know I was so negatively effected and led to intense masking, anxiety, etc. etc. etc. I think my parents did their best but they had issues and biases and little psychological education. I know that there could still be some underlying trauma I haven’t fully uncovered yet, but this way of thinking opens the door and allows me to heal without trying to blame my parents for everything. Thanks for saying it so well. I always told myself there was no REASON for me to be depressed & anxious & felt shame for experiencing them, but there are a million reasons including undiagnosed ADHD & what you’ve explained so well.

[@timefortee]

Such great points!

[@kapsi]

I have cptsd and it ruined my life. I'm on antidepressants, tried tons of different ones, therapy. It's still very hard to be functional and social.

[@andrew6815]

Same here. I was 28/29 before I recieved that diagnosis, 5 years later, I'm really starting to make some progress towards building the life that I want. Keep pushing. It'll be a very long road but there is hope and you're not alone!

[@cvsistheft]

recovery is a long journey. but if you’re living with ptsd you’ve already lived through hell and survived, so I know you can find your way to a better place.

[@MonkeyHero]

I believe in you

[@hansonel]

Same, I got it through a former abusive boss and then jumping into a toxic job after quitting. Couple that with childhood trauma and depression still lingering from a breakup years ago and my life is basically in shambles right now. Have been slowly rebuilding my life over the years.

[@kapsi]

@@cvsistheft yeah "surviving" is the word that describes my life. I'm working on "thriving", but maybe this is as good as it gets.

[@Chad-Giga.]

Seeing a friend/family member die= PTSD, PTSD= ok we just won’t make any friends or get close to any family members ever again

[@delskif1425]

26:44 I wish people would talk about siblings abusing their younger siblings. For me, it was my older brother throughout my whole childhood being manipulative and physically abusive, not my parents.

[@silverphoenix4934]

Same for me all 4 of them for 11 years.

[@RookAdmirer]

I understand how you feel as it was a friend who caused my chronic dissociation. You never hear anyone give any weight to the damage a toxic friendship can do in key developmental periods. The best way to tie it together is to understand that your parents lay the foundations of the situation from how they attached with you as a child (and in your case chose to neglect to protect you from your sibling) Then you have to choose to be your own advocate in your mind and not allowing yourself to deny your suffering at the hands of this other person. It doesn't matter if Dr K or anyone else has never covered sibling (or friend) abuse but YOU know what you went through and who caused it. You are the expert of your own experience. Anything that can be said about our experience with abusive or neglectful parents absolutely applies to any other person who caused us damage in our life, then the compounding factor is that your parent who was the person who SHOULD have protected you as a helpless person, did not. I wish you all the best in healing these wounds and finding a pillar of strength within yourself.

[@thedude7319]

When you listen to Dr K you tend to get atleast one bit that resonates with yourself, I can't understand how someone becomes such an amazing person

[@McKenzieBrown]

absolutely, he's such a great example. i wish there were more people like him. (i imagine he became like that with years of cultivating his compassion and deepening his understanding of common issues.)

[@Hexanitrobenzene]

He had a very varied experience. What we get is a distillation from medical studies, papers, monk training, coaching and clinical practice. Vast experience.

[@matcha.always]

that opening track to the stream??????? never have I felt more motivated by a song than listening to that

[@FiguringItOutWithWill]

You gotta check out “Clozee sunset downtempo set”. You’re gonna love it

[@ctlo4403]

Dr. K is the best help on KZbin so far from 20 yrs of KZbin researching for healing. Bordetliner notes, Sam Vaknin, Van de Kolk EMDR, Linehan Radical Acceptance and dr. K have been helpful.

[@w1cked001]

Vaknin is great. Elinor Greenborg is as well. Recommend Nancy McWilliams for good reading.

[@Moshm4n]

24:02 I almost drowned in a river when I was 6-years-old. After that, not only was I afraid of large bodies of water, but even something as simple as bathing was a terrifying experience for me. Especially when it was time to wash my hair. Feeling water over my head invoked an incredible psychological pain that felt like physical pain where the water landed on my head. My parents would fight me to wash my hair for years. People are surprised to learn I can't swim, and are equally so when I explain why.

[@RobertaCoila-lw1dn]

Have you considered EFT (emotional Freedom technique) type tapping methods? They have a pretty good success rate for these types of trauma symptoms. Good luck to you

[@Tofuu1311]

That sounds like regular ptsd. Still fucked up though

[@thomashunt6000]

"The best way to make a healthy relationship is to be a healthy human being." That's a hell of a lot easier said than done 😆

[@blakelunsford9464]

Only 40 minutes in and had to pause and let you know this video is beautiful. Thank you for your time and effort Dr. K.

[@Myname_noor]

dr.k i’m not lying ever since i discovered your channel last October my life has been improving. its like you gave me all life cheat codes💚⭐️

[@Zarih67]

I’m 57. I still have nightmares and flashbacks. Certain memories are still as triggering as it was then. And I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. 20 years of physical abuse really fucked me up.

[@Chad-Giga.]

What helped me the most is the gate theory which was taught to me by a Vietnam veteran who was a psychologist, if you look at a panic attack as a gate that opens in the mind, you can then learn to control this gate, and keep it closed. You can feel the gate opening when the panic attack starts hitting, numb hands, racing heart, hyperventilating (unknowingly). If you can learn to look for these signs, acknowledge them, and learn the skills to stop them in their tracks (four step breathing), you can keep the gate from opening. It caused something to click in my brain, and I got off the Xanax and never had a panic attack again.

[@cheynaespinoza5875]

I learned the same thing. And also co trolling the thought pattern that leads to a an attack

[@alexpark2359]

Also Dr. K, I would love to see a video on your thoughts on IFS and psychedelics (potential benefits and risks) especially with the potential approval of MDMA by the FDA this fall. They both have substantially helped me in my journey but there’s a lot of information that isn’t empirically backed by clinical studies. Also going into potential tools like EMDR or bilateral stimulation techniques.

[@rotisseriechickenlover-jb4cc]

“its a pity i dont shoot heroine, because thats one hell of a vein” 😂😂😂 1:26:20

[@missmg]

Dr. K. I can't thank you enough for the dedication you put in every video. This one in particular has immense value 😊

[@aloknr2430]

My partner and I , we both have CPTSD, we watched this on our tv like a Saturday morning news show. I’ll be honest, it was a hard watch , but we’re getting that trauma pack when it drops and we are gonna stay the course. Much love to everyone who is here on their journey. We have a long road ahead, with many a dragons. Yet, take solace in the fact that you are not alone.

[@Sky10811]

pls look into Hoffman process 1 week in your country, if you can afford it, but you will need to attend in different intakes, not allowed with your partner simultaneously

[@DrDeflowerMe]

I’d love to come on and talk about my experience with military PTSD and how that connects with my childhood C-PTSD at some point If you were interested in that. I saw an interview you did with someone a few weeks ago and thought that was really great!

[@StacyA406]

You explain this better than anyone I have ever listened to. I was diagnosed with CPTSD years ago and I have never really been able to clarify what I am doing day to day to reveal that vulnerability. Thank you so much.

[@seekingfinding6204]

Recap: CPTSD & its Impact: 1:18:22 "Sudden mood changes, going into a funk for no reason" I'm just getting to the point where I don't do this, or if I do I can pull myself out of it quickly. Really wish this information had been around years ago, but I'm so grateful for what information I was able to get. The 90s was when a lot of this stuff started circulating in the general populace, don't know what I'd have done without it.

[@FloraJoannaK]

18:52 Ok, so this is actually a thing. Blast neuro-trauma, specifically the polytraumatic profile from IEDs and other extreme concussive blasts. There's a lot of subtle damage going on for service personnel (and civilians) like from extreme changes in air-pressure, regular old concussion, blunt and piercing trauma... And it's not only the brain which is damaged. MTBI (mild traumatic brain injury) is a major factor in PTSD in general, especially for military personnel.

[@junevayne5870]

Maaaaaan. Thank you so much for this information. I'm 27 and my whole life i been struggling with that! I been diagnosed with ADHD and Depression but never PTSD or CPTSD. Everything you say make so much sense to me. I can relate to every single word here. This is such a grate point of finally being able to fix it. It impossible to fix a problem when you don't even know what is your problem! This is WILD!

[@brainofmensis]

Thanks so much for this video. As someone with diagnosed "complex/chronic" PTSD from childhood which includes developmental trauma that interacts with my comorbid ADHD, I have often wished that more people could know and understand what it is really like to live with trauma and how much it impacts a person from the inside out so that they could have more empathy for me when I feel debilitated in everyday life or display behaviors and mindsets that they cannot otherwise comprehend. I hope videos like this inspire a new wave of compassion and empathy and collective healing.

[@alexanderleuchte5132]

"Happiness I cannot feel And love to me is so unreal" - Black Sabbath, "Paranoid"

[@do9291]

Dr. K, thank you so much for the work you do! Can't wait to see the trauma guide.

[@Wingedmagician]

I remember when I found Pete Walkers book on cptsd years ago. It just described me and my experience.

[@WHYUNODYLAN]

Yeah, I read the Kindle sample out of curiosity but then bought it immediately. Never been diagnosed (never really tried, either) yet that book helped me more than anything else I've read.

[@lucasreiYT]

Beginning meditation segment really appreciate this. Music and mix definitely an eye opener.

[@thatdeadguy.666]

Thank you for this video. I have extremely severe complex ptsd. This helps understand things just a little bit further. I’ve been watching your chanel for a good while now and I recommend you to tons of people all the time. You have so many topics that just fascinate me and I more than enjoy the way you look at things and help us see them. Normally I don’t bring this stuff up but I feel it’s kinda important cuz your educational and you really help a lot of people. But I can’t stand the sound of swallowing and it’s a severe part of my ptsd. I forget what the fobia or whatever it’s called but it’s a big plague in my life. Causes me to lose a lot of friends and family. Usually your videos don’t usually have those sounds in them. I don’t know if the mike placement was different but please. I want to keep watching these videos. My bad for my stupid complaint but please and thank you. You help me a lot and I hope this is isn’t too annoying of a comment.

[@ittybittyrampagingcommittee]

I never thought I had it "bad enough" to have PTSD, let alone CPTSD. But hearing this made me realize that a lot of what I do, think, how I react, and what I perceive as "normal" is just from decades of learned response.

[@Jenerate]

I have cptsd and it's been even more of a challenge because my abuser was my brother. So I've had all the symptoms of PTSD but everyone telling me "oh brothers and sisters never get along/all brothers are jerks/your situation is normal". Basically on a daily basis I have to sit down with myself and reaffirm that he was a controlling person in my life and treated me way worse than any "bad brother" I've ever heard of, and that my experience is valid. I even point to how I act and say to myself: see, you wouldn't have these sorts of reactions if you two "just didn't get along". Along with cptsd I have a complex about not being believed. Wonder where that comes from. Lol.

[@mothdust1634]

Same. My brother was horrible to me. Way beyond a normal brother. My parents always felt bad for him though and told me to not take his behavior so seriously. Okay but maybe he shouldn't be slamming his sister's head into the wall regardless of how his life is going.

[@CoffeeCrashedMal]

Thank you for what you do, Dr. K. The effort and passion is comendable, also being approachable and down to earth. As a psych student it's very inspiring and I really do aspire to help people like you do. Also had a blast interacting in chat, very cool community!

[@SportEffiloche]

I am in the process of building that sens of identity and it is a very hard line to ride for me. I have felt like I am worthless and deserve basically nothing for so long that now trying to stand up for myself makes me go overboard to defend myself extra hard. I definitly need to work on having the right to be treated as a human without feeling entitled to it and getting super angry when I feel disrespected

[@BroncLander]

I like your chamnel Dr. Been watching a your vids for a few months now and I've watched you talk with easy to chat with people and somewhat difficult people and I love the example you set for giving people space and letting people fully say what they need to say, while still managing to keep the discussion organized and calm. That really inspires me to do better. You're a very smart fella! 😎👍

[@6slade]

thanks Dr. K this has been helpful, my mother was recently diagnosed with cPTSD and the family has had a hard time in our relationships with her for many years. this kind of video helps bridge my understanding for managing this even if only a bit

[@zeex5029]

It's amazing. For a weeks I've been suspecting having cPTSD (thanks to his other talks) and dr. K delivers right on time.

[@shrinkelizabeth]

I relate to so much of this and have been told I have CPTSD by a therapist I saw while in med school (thus I moved away for residency and can no longer see them). I’d really like to see a therapist well versed in this topic to help guide me through overcoming the ways I still feel so held back by my own nervous system, but my experience has been it’s rare for therapists to be adept in tackling the complexities that go along with healing from how you grew up. Might buy the guide, I just feel like working with someone in real time will feel like a missing piece, and also, I don’t know if spending all of that time watching content alone will really be good for me or will just lead to more sadness about always having had to power through things alone in life due to never really having a healthy, supportive family.

[@andreacunningham5696]

I attended the trauma workshop and it was amazing to learn the science behind my condition. I've happy that that the HG team decided to make this available to even more people.

[@BrofUJu]

Where do I find this? Couldn't find it

[@andreacunningham5696]

I don't believe the content was ever made public. At least not to my knowledge. However what's presented here is absolutely fantastic in my opinion.

[@BrofUJu]

@@andreacunningham5696 ah ok, all good. Yeah I've done therapy but his stuff is so good. The idea of physically feeling emotions and connecting to your body was really great, as well as the planning for thf future studf

[@Rosem_Blossom]

I got diagnosed with CPTSD (among other things) this month. Really nice timing that you upload a new video on this topic. So far it has been really validating and it makes a lot of sense.

[@tallyh6992]

Thank you so much, Dr. K. I just bought your guide. I was diagnosed with CPTSD four years ago and this video describes my experience better than anything else I’ve come across.

[@iamkruciall4391]

I imagine some people, myself included, would benefit from you linking the articles that you're referring to numerous time throughout this and other videos. Appreciate all the hard work.

[@Nini-rs3fs]

My coworkers used to say ""Nini" smoked grass again today", i never do but my brain just goes byebye when i'm under too much stress. I've got every cptsd symptom.

[@ravenvinnie6062]

Yeah, when I worked at Waffle House I was having a huge period of severe dissociative stress due to constant panic attacks, re-experincing trauma, and working third shift. I was accused of being high by some customers and they didn't believe me when I wasn't. It hurt and made me feel even more alienated.

[@nina-mill]

Had this happen to me too, friends growing up told me I had a "natural high" about me! I suppose trauma is nature's high 😂

[@jeremyevans710]

Hey congratulations on your med School graduation moment im happy for you man. Youve done very well for yourself and your family and no the world. I appreciate you dude🤘

[@nolsen123]

I appreciate your honesty about having to look things up sometimes. If every psychologist would be that honest, health system would be a whole lot better.

[@angel_vii]

CPTSD is being in fight or flight 24/7/365. Its exhausting. Love and solidarity to everyone who survived and those of us who didn't. ❤

[@daniellehyde9279]

Living with C-PTSD the expresses through OCD. Patrick Teahan also has a great channel on KZbin for trauma informed care. He specializes in childhood trauma, I've found him a great resource.

[@oedipascourage6262]

The most comprehensive and easy-to-digest - and free - breakdown of what trauma is and how to deal with it. Words won't be enough to describe my gratitude - but thank you.

[@sasb3675]

This is one of the best most comprehensive explanations of CPTSD I’ve heard heard and I’m so grateful, I realised last year at 28 I must have CPTSD and it explains so much about my life

[@vincentwise3188]

I'm C-PTSD diagnosed. The fun thing about PTSD is you can just keep tagging on new traumas if you never learn how to cope. Ive seen like 10 therapists and 5 psychiatrists over the past 7 years and only one therapist has been helpful, and she had a C-PTSD diagnosis herself and was why she got into therapy. I moved states and couldnt see her anymore but haven't found a comparable therapist yet

[@ulhi7564]

Is there any chance that you could do online therapy with your former therapist?

[@vincentwise3188]

@@ulhi7564 so it's out of state and I'm on state insurance that doesn't cover it if it's not in state, but I'm trying a new therapist that was recommended to me soon :) it's hard but I feel like there's nothing to do but keep trying

[@ohwell9093]

Yay!!! Thankyou Dr. K. Its such an important area, and so many things brought up that has yracked with my experience

[@BeeBee-tb2it]

You Are Great!!!!! I ve been watching your videos for long time. I love the way you hit the nail in understanding language. Thanks

[@QSPRivers]

Starting with the body can be super overwhelming for some folks with trauma especially trans folks and folks with sexual trauma, so just be aware of that if that's you. Potentially an IFS therapist could be really helpful for navigating that.

[@roguerat812]

OH MY F-ing god my Dr was right I didn't fully understand my condition but I now understand alot better than I did before and I seem to be a bit farther into recovery than I thought because I dove head on into rebuilding myself from the ground up. Still alot of work to do, but understanding a bit better will definitely be helpful on my journey.

[@leah_amy]

Almost half way through.. wow this is so brilliant. I have C-PTSD and this is amazing. Love it..

[@SomeBody-ce3gq]

I preordered as soon as it came out, excited to learn more about my condition! Thanks for making these resources for us!

[@ChocolateJewels]

I’m 53, female, not a gamer at all. AND I am insanely grateful for Dr. K’s work here. Truly. I’ve been doing therapy (1x/month) since last August, C-PTSD. Didn’t have a clue that all the crap I survived counts as C-PTSD… I’m chuffed that Dr. K has a module on it. Can’t wait to get to it.

[@gangapoornima]

Lovely intro music ! And thank you so much for your upload, your time, energy and love making and sharing your views and words.

[@lmaoidk5730]

I was diagnosed CPTSD a few years ago, and even still it feels so isolating for it to be assumed like PTSD. I'm so relieved you have pointed out the distinction

[@lynnchia3661]

This is so important 👏 thank you Dr K and team for your hard work in sharing evidence based information and help here

[@saskiahipwell5477]

Glad I came across this video! You have a great way of explaining this and as a vet student I really appreciate the medical and scientific explanations :) Seems like I may have c-ptsd but I'm certainly going to talk to a professional about it. Think I got it from being forced into an inpatient mental health institution as a pre-teen ironically. Hopefully I can figure it out. I always wondered why I no longer have any awareness of my emotions, why I ruined relationships and why I've lost my sense of self. Thank you for an informative stream :)

[@terryh.9238]

"lets do q&a for like 15 minutes" >40 minutes of the video remaining

[@MattBorchert]

Thank you so much for this level of detail. I think it's really going to help me hone in on what I need to work on.

[@atelier27]

Sibling abuse is a way more common cause of cptsd than acknowledged. Many right now talk about the impact of bullying but somehow siblings bullying you is normal.

[@nikolinaderpson3841]

Trauma guide looks amazing, thank you Dr.K and the HG team

[@drewezell7658]

I feel blessed that I found this channel. Thank you Dr. K

[@warmgreytenpercent]

Such an important topic, thank you ☀️ diagnosis w/ professionals saved my life

[@AmanaginMusic]

Ahh, topic that is constantly around in my daily life. Thank you for this!

[@notloki3377]

lookin forward to this one... so many of the problems i see in interpersonal relationships and the world in general, i've realized, can be traced back to trauma.

[@anth2344]

Bro why is the intro music so fire 😭

[@juzhang6665]

This is the most informative lecture of HG. I’m sure it will resonate with a lot of people.

[@zmazzyhtx]

I got my CPTSD diagnosis at 19 (currently 28). It explained everything. I thought I was just “weird” but once I realized, it was a lot easier for me to work on myself from that place of self compassion and understanding. I’ve made tremendous progress over the last decade. Picking not great partners has been my last biggest challenge but even that has gotten better. Great stream Dr K.

[@iansullivan9738]

CPTSD is the hardest illness I've ever had to deal with. It makes me doubt or downplay all my other health issues, confounds diagnosis, and makes life impossible.

[@NattyByNature-]

I didn’t know about BPD when I was dating my ex and I learned about narcissism and thought she was a narcissist because it models it very closely. 4 years later and I still grieve the relationship and how I could have handled it better. I just truly didn’t know she was so ill. She also helped me discovered that I have CPTsD. I didn’t know I was so traumatized as well and my ‘personality’ wasn’t normal it was created based on survival. Oh lord I’m so happy I’m healing and finding my true me. I pray for forgiveness and to forgive.

[@CloudyTurbulence]

The fact that you are talking about this, explaining the science and giving practical solutions all for free is amazing. It's nice that you're making this content accessible to everyone.

[@heidihageman523]

This is so profound. Thank you ❤

[@RootBound505]

So much hope here along with intro music that I want to start each day with. 🙏🏻

[@Uvvibes]

Wow a 3 hour video we are so blessed thank you 🙏

[@shlobodon]

This is pretty much me. My therapist is walking me through the roadmap. I had to disassociate a lot when I was very young.

[@abcdfg4281]

I was neglected as a child and the first serious relationship I had (18) I was abused and couldn't escape so now I shut down really easily during bad experiences even though my current partner is so understanding and kind.

[@MellyWilliams]

thank you for the long-awaited deep-dive! 1:38:23 i really needed to hear this today 🙏

[@061wheeler]

What an excellent/informative video! And presented in a authentically passionate manner!

[@carriefrazier1809]

This came out at a scarily perfect time - I've just been diagnosed with CPTSD, and my diagnosing psychiatrist + therapist are recommending somatic therapy (in additition to my regular talk therapy. Dr. K, do you think you'll do a video on somatic therapy (or include it in your CPTSD Module? I'd never heard about before until recently, but after doing some prelim research on it it already seems like it'll help a lot.

[@kk65275]

Heidi Priebe has really amazing videos dealing with trauma and cptsd