Trauma doesn't discriminate—it can strike like a sudden storm or erode us slowly, like waves against a crumbling shore. For millions, the aftermath manifests as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or its more intricate cousin, Complex PTSD (CPTSD). While both steal pieces of our peace, they differ in their roots and ripples through our lives. In this post, we'll unpack the distinctions, draw wisdom from powerful narratives like Stephanie Foo's What My Bones Know and Pete Walker's Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving, and explore an emerging treatment: the stellate ganglion block (SGB). If you're seeking clarity or hope, read on—you're not alone.
PTSD often emerges from a singular, shattering event: a car accident, assault, or combat experience. It's the brain's alarm system gone haywire, replaying the trauma in vivid, unwelcome loops. Core symptoms cluster into four buckets:
These symptoms must persist for at least a month to meet diagnostic criteria, but they can hijack daily life, making joy feel like a distant memory. Traditional therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) offer pathways to reclaim control, but for many, symptoms linger.
Enter CPTSD, a diagnosis recognized in the World Health Organization's ICD-11 (though not yet in the DSM-5). Unlike PTSD's acute jolt, CPTSD stems from prolonged, repeated trauma—think chronic childhood abuse, domestic violence, or captivity. It's not just survival; it's the soul-deep reshaping that follows years of betrayal by those meant to protect you.
CPTSD shares PTSD's foundational symptoms but layers on profound disturbances in self and relationships:
Pete Walker's Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving masterfully dissects this, framing CPTSD as a "legacy of abandonment" that wires us for inner criticism and outer disconnection. Walker offers practical tools—like "flashback management" and self-compassion exercises—to shift from mere endurance to genuine healing. Similarly, Stephanie Foo's What My Bones Know is a raw memoir of her CPTSD journey, born from racial trauma and family dysfunction. Foo illuminates how CPTSD isn't just psychological—it's physiological, with "bones that remember" the unrelenting stress, urging readers to honor their resilience while dismantling shame.
The key divergence? PTSD might feel like a scar from one wound; CPTSD is scar tissue woven into your very identity. This complexity demands holistic approaches, blending therapy with body-centered interventions.
What if relief could come not from endless talk therapy sessions, but from a quick injection? Enter the stellate ganglion block (SGB), a procedure targeting the sympathetic nervous system—the "fight-or-flight" engine revved too high in trauma survivors.
The stellate ganglion is a bundle of nerves in the neck that acts like a highway for stress signals from the brain to the body. In PTSD and CPTSD, chronic hyperarousal floods this pathway, keeping you in perpetual alert mode. SGB involves injecting a local anesthetic (like lidocaine) into the ganglion, temporarily blocking these signals and "rebooting" the system. It's outpatient, takes about 15-30 minutes, and patients often report calmer breathing, better sleep, and reduced anxiety within hours—sometimes days.
Think of it as hitting pause on the trauma alarm, allowing space for therapies to take deeper root. While not a cure, it's a bridge, especially for those stalled by overwhelming symptoms.
Research on SGB is promising, though still evolving. A landmark 2019 randomized controlled trial in JAMA Psychiatry found that two SGB sessions, spaced two weeks apart, significantly reduced PTSD symptom severity—dropping scores on the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale by an average of 30-50% over eight weeks, compared to placebo. Participants reported fewer nightmares and hypervigilance, with effects lasting months for many.
For CPTSD, direct studies are scarcer, but the overlap in hyperarousal symptoms suggests similar benefits. A 2024 VA evidence brief noted rapid improvements in 70-75% of cases across series, with some veterans achieving "meaningful remission." Ongoing trials, like one combining SGB with cognitive processing therapy, aim to tailor it for complex cases. Critics point to mixed results—placebo effects or variable responses—but even skeptics agree it's low-risk, with side effects like temporary hoarseness or droopy eyelids resolving quickly.
In Foo's words, healing CPTSD means "rewriting the story your body tells." SGB might just quiet the narrator long enough to begin.
PTSD and CPTSD aren't badges of weakness—they're testaments to your endurance. Whether your trauma was a thunderclap or a slow drizzle, resources abound: Walker's book for tactical recovery maps, Foo's for soul-stirring solidarity. And for those ready to explore SGB, consult a trauma-informed provider—it's not one-size-fits-all, but it could be the key that unlocks your next chapter.
If this resonates, share your story below or reach out to a hotline like the National PTSD Center (1-800-273-8255 in the US). Healing isn't linear, but it's possible. What's one small step you'll take today?
References: Beyond the cited studies, dive into Pete Walker’s Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving (Azure Coyote Publishing, 2013) and Stephanie Foo’s What My Bones Know (Ballantine Books, 2022) for intimate, transformative insights.
