Levels of PTSD and The Mechanism of Post-Traumatic Stress

Keywords: Levels of PTSD.

I would like to share with you what I have learned while working with traumatized people over many years. It is a pattern I have seen over and over again among a wide range of different cases.

Trauma and PTSD can be very complex and can happen to anyone for a variety of reasons, incidents, and circumstances.

The Mechanism of Various Levels of PTSD

If you have been reading and educating yourself, you know trauma does not just apply to people who go to war. Trauma is widespread and affects many of us in the general population.

In all its complexity there is a pattern, however, to how a human being deals with trauma.

When you are overwhelmed, you dissociate. When that state of feeling overwhelmed persists, as is often the case with childhood trauma, you might have several levels of PTSD to which you dissociate.

You might initially start with one particular emotion that is too much to contain, like fear for your life. When you are unable to contain and process that initial fear, you might dissociate into an emotion that is easier for you to handle, like being grumpy, irritable, frustrated, or upset.

How It Gets More Complex: Levels of PTSD and CPTSD

Furthermore, when your core emotion and coping emotion-- and the stress that goes with it-- keep persisting, you will divert that energy into an addiction. Lastly, when addiction doesn't give enough release you will collapse into fatigue, chronic pain, and depression.

These are-- in short-- the various levels of PTSD dissociation.

Did you resonate with this mechanism and description of the various levels of PTSD? Leave your comment below.

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  • Volker says:

    I am an psychologist myself and treat trauma specially with german soldiers. Just curious about your work, getting 70 of years and still learning.

    • Roland says:

      Hi Volker. Great to hear you are still active and learning. Would love to see your insights on working with soldiers. Keep it going!

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