How CPTSD Shows Up In Men - Relationships, Depression and Messy Divorces

### Introduction

 

- Welcome back to MenPlus40! We continue our discussion on PTSD and CPTSD, focusing on their unique manifestations in men's lives.

- In today’s episode, we explore how CPTSD impacts relationships, the relationship between depression and CPTSD, and how these conditions surface during and post-divorce.

 

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### Key Topics

 

#### 1. CPTSD in Relationships

 

- **Fear of Abandonment**: The role of emotional distancing or isolation in triggering a profound fear of rejection.

  

- **Emotional Recollections**: How a partner's tone, actions, or facial expressions can trigger past traumas.

  

- **Trust Challenges**: The impact of early betrayals and their contribution to trust issues in adult relationships.

  

- **Co-Dependency**: How CPTSD can lead to an extreme reliance on partners for emotional support and validation.

  

- **Abuse Patterns**: The propensity to enter toxic partnerships due to childhood experiences.

 

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#### 2. Depression vs. CPTSD

 

- **Emotional Instability**: Commonality and differences between CPTSD and depression.

  

- **Flashbacks vs. Persistent Negative Thoughts**: How each condition manifests differently in emotional experiences.

  

- **Relationship Troubles**: The origins and impacts of attachment issues, mistrust, and self-worth in relationships.

  

- **Trauma Triggers vs. General Symptoms**: How responses are triggered in CPTSD vs. depression.

  

- **Self-Identity and Self-Image**: The contrasting effects on self-perception.

 

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#### 3. CPTSD and Divorce

 

- **Emotional Isolation**: The tendency to withdraw emotionally post-divorce due to past traumas.

  

- **Trust Challenges**: How divorce can further erode trust and lead to difficulties in forming new relationships.

  

- **Hyper-awareness and Emotional Reactivity**: The heightened emotional reactivity displayed by traumatised men post-divorce.

  

- **Disturbed Attachment Patterns**: The lasting impact of childhood trauma on romantic engagements.

  

- **Intimacy and Communication Obstacles**: Challenges in expressing emotional needs and clear communication.

 

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### Upcoming Episode Teaser

- Next episode will cover self-soothing techniques and the impact of algorithmic bias in the content you consume, such as shows focusing on body count, red flags, and distorted perspectives of evolutionary psychology.

 

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### Closing Thoughts

- "Pain illuminates the problem, but it does not reveal