C-PTSD is more commonly related to long-term or chronic trauma. This trauma often takes place in the early years of life, as in the case of child abuse, but it can occur at any time.

C-PTSD and BPD share some overlapping symptoms, and both have links to trauma. Learn about the differences between C-PTSD vs. BPD here.

Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) is more common in survivors of domestic abuse than PTSD. This requires a different approach to recovery and treatment.

One study found a higher prevalence of C-PTSD (39.5 percent) than PTSD (17.9 percent) in women survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) (Fernandez-Fillol et al, 2021).