This series of articles in September has focused primarily on advocating and supporting someone who has suicidal ideations or has attempted to die by suicide.
As September is National Suicide Awareness Month, we shall continue to address the causes and treatment available to those who are suicidal and their families and friends.
In this article, we shall examine together the link between complex trauma and suicidal ideation, examining closely what both are and how to help someone you love and yourself.
Complex Trauma
Complex trauma events have been defined as chronic, interpersonal traumas that begin early in life (Cook, Blaustein, Spinazzola, & van der Kolk, 2003) (Wamser-Nanney & Vandenberg, 2013).
Perhaps an easier to understand explanation is as follows:
“Complex trauma describes both children’s exposure to multiple traumatic events—often of an invasive, interpersonal nature—and the wide-ranging, long-term effects of this exposure. These events are severe and pervasive, such as abuse or profound neglect. They usually occur early in life and can disrupt many aspects of the child’s development and the formation of a sense of self. Since these events often occur with a caregiver, they interfere with the child’s ability to form a secure attachment. Many aspects of a child’s healthy physical and mental development rely on this primary source of safety and stability (NCTSN.org)”
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