Can Adults Develop CPTSD? What You Need to Know

When people hear the term Complex PTSD (CPTSD), it’s often linked to childhood trauma, and for good reason. CPTSD was originally described in the context of chronic, early-life abuse and neglect.

But in our offices, we often see people who didn't experience trauma in their childhood but still have symptoms of CPTSD, which begs the question, can you develop CPTSD as an adult?

And the short answer is: Yes, definitely.

Let's unpack when CPTSD can occur and why we often see it referred to as something that starts in childhood.

CPTSD Isn’t Just About Childhood

While childhood trauma is the most common context for CPTSD, it’s not the only pathway. Adults can absolutely develop CPTSD in response to ongoing trauma that occurs in adulthood, especially when the trauma is:

• Interpersonal (e.g., domestic violence, coercive control)

• Prolonged or repeated (e.g., ongoing community violence)

• Inescapable (e.g., refugee experiences, human trafficking, captivity)

• Systemic or structural (e.g., institutional abuse, racialized violence, chronic displacement)

  
  

According to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), which recognizes CPTSD as a distinct diagnosis from PTSD, the duration, repetition, and inescapability of trauma are key features, regardless of age when the trauma occurs (Maercker et al., 2013).

Why Childhood Trauma Still Comes Up More Often

That said, CPTSD is more commonly associated with childhood trauma. Here’s why:

• Neural networks formed in childhood are more malleable: when trauma occurs in early development, it fundamentally shapes how a person views safety, relationships, and the world. The brain is more vulnerable then, so it's easier to develop CPTSD.

• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): these events are cumulative and often go unrecognized or untreated for decades, leading to long-term patterns in thinking, feeling, and behaving that align with CPTSD symptoms (Felitti et al., 1998).

• Trauma builds on trauma: someone with early adverse experiences may be more likely to encounter trauma in adulthood or stay in unsafe situations longer because their nervous system is already “primed” for instability and threat (van der Kolk, 2014).

What CPTSD Might Look Like When It Starts in Adulthood

Adults who develop CPTSD from later-in-life trauma may still experience:

• Emotional dysregulation

• Negative self-concept

• Disturbed relationships

• Flashbacks or dissociation

• Hypervigilance and exhaustion

  
  

What often differs is how it shows up and how quickly the system becomes overwhelmed. Some folks may have previously navigated life with a strong sense of identity and coping skills, only to find them unraveling under prolonged abuse or chaos.

We Need to Talk More About Adult-Onset CPTSD

Remember: Trauma doesn’t check your birthdate. Just because the trauma didn’t start in childhood doesn’t make your experience any less real, serious, or deserving of support.

Adult survivors of the following experiences can (and do) meet the criteria for CPTSD:

• Domestic abuse

• Cults or spiritual abuse

• Chronic medical trauma or caregiving burnout

• Forced migration or war

• Racism, colonial violence, or environmental catastrophe
  

How to Get Help (Even if You’re Not Sure What You’re Dealing With)

If this is hitting close to home and you're thinking you may want support, you may want to consider finding a therapist with the following:

• Trained in complex trauma/CPTSD not just PTSD

• Trained in somatic therapies, EMDR or other experientially based models

• Understands systems, such as the patriarchy and capitalism, to see how they may be a part of your experiences of trauma

We have a team of trauma counsellors in Kamloops and virtually across BC who would love to support you as you navigate C-PTSD; whether it started in childhood or adulthood. Reach out today to book your first session!

Want to Learn More?

Here are some peer-reviewed sources and resources that dive deeper:

• Maercker, A., et al. (2013). Proposal for diagnosing complex PTSD in ICD-11.

• Herman, J. L. (1992). Trauma and Recovery

• Cloitre, M., et al. (2014). The ISTSS Expert Consensus Treatment Guidelines for Complex PTSD in Adults

• Felitti, V. J., et al. (1998). Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many Leading Causes of Death in Adults.

• van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score