Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving: A GUIDE AND MAP FOR RECOVERING FROM CHILDHOOD TRAUMA Paperback – 13 Dec. 2013

I've been struggling for decades trying to dig myself out of the c-ptsd pit. I've watched countless YouTube videos, read loads of books, consulted an array of shrinks, gone round in circles, gone two steps forward then 4 back, and was on the verge of, basically, calling it a day as I felt like I'd made no progress at all despite my best efforts.However, I thought I'd give it one last shot and, thanks to the 3000 plus reviews, thought this book was worth a go at just £6. It's changed EVERYTHING. It made me realise:1. I'd made amazing progress already2. I actually wasn't a despicable narcissist (my biggest fear, to be honest)3. My loathsome adoptive, narcissistic parents were STILL in my mind torturing me4. I WAS NOT crazy, as they'd led me to believe5. My determination to face all my monsters would ensure I'd make it through hell and finally see the sunPete Walker said two words that had me sobbing with relief: 'emotional flashback.' I've never come across them before (I was only aware of the visual sort), and, the moment he explained further, everything slotted into place. My entire life has been, I now see, one emotional flashback after another. I can SEE it and am starting to understand how and why they surface, and, more importantly, how I can actually, for the first time in over 50 years, do something constructive as opposed to devolving into a suicidal depression.I'm only half way through, but Walker has, I honestly believe, saved my sanity. He really has changed my entire life in the few hours reading and many hours THINKING and watching myself that I've spent thus far.I'm going to read and re-read. He's shown me what to look for, how to look for it and how to manage it. My self-hate has evaporated, I feel in charge of myself for the first time in my life, and I no longer feel like an abjectly terrified, frozen child every time something minor goes wrong.Yes, I'm still overwhelmed at times (it's like a fog or wave actually clouds my eyes and I'm just left frozen and terrified), but a couple of times I've managed to drag myself to the outside of that fog and see my child self screaming in terror. It's at THAT point of recognition, of sight, where you can start to drag that little version of you out of the darkness. If I can do it twice, I can do it again. And again.Thank you. This is the book I've been waiting for.

Brilliant book! Read the whole thing straight away. A must have guide!

I have been struggling my whole life with life itself. At 36 and 5 years into therapy, I was still so far from functional and had so many physical problems too. Ever since my teens I have been unable to keep up with the rest of the world, suffering from lethargy and even narcolepsy. I have had an extreme pain in my neck that I have spent thousands on osteopaths for with no success and which would trigger up to 20 migraines a month. I have been depressed ever since I can remember, horrifically messy, and overweight from eating nothing but carbs. I have been in a string of bad relationships with narcissistic or highly damaged people. I had to quit university because I would fall asleep in EVERY class.And that is just some of my problems. Over the years I have worked so hard on myself, succeeding in stopping biting my nails (which I used to bite until they bled. My fingers looked like stumps) but would still fall back into it regularly. And that was pretty much the only tangible thing I had really achieved in the self improvement catalogue.Just a few weeks ago I was crying to my therapist that I only feel like I am running at 20% of my potential.This winter when my cat died, I hit a new low and slipped back into deep depression, smoking weed from morning til dusk, watching Netflix from morning til midnight, and eating nothing but takeaways. My flat was slowly turning into a garbage dump of empty containers. About a month ago, one of my twitter followers bought me this book from my wishlist (god even knows how it ended up on there. I have no recollection of adding it). I left it on my coffee table untouched.When I hit an all time low about 2 weeks ago, said follower messaged me to tell me to pick it up and read it. I was sitting on my kitchen floor, sobbing loudly, feeling like I hadn't advanced at all since my 20's. I started reading it and turned to the 13 steps for dealing with an emotional flashback, even though I had no idea what that is. But I was emotional so I figured it could help maybe. It instantly calmed me down. I then curled up on my sofa and proceeded to read the entire book over 2 days.After reading it, I felt like a weight had been lifted. It was like all the puzzle pieces I had been given in therapy over the years but didn't know what to do with or how to use now we're fitting neatly together.The next day, I was like a new person. It was unbelievable. The weight was gone. The tiredness was gone. The craving for carbs was gone. I suddenly found myself having a morning and an evening routine including brushing my teeth (something I have always struggled with), meditation, diary writing, physical self care...I have had the best 2 weeks of my life. I finally truly love myself and enjoy cleaning up after myself and cooking myself incredibly healthy meals!!! I am productive and living full days to the maximum every day! I have totally stopped watching TV and am on my 4th book in 2 weeks! I am gardening, weeding, making art!!!!Life is finally beautiful. And the best part? I am now daily in contact with my child part whom I tell how much I love all the time and even read a bedtime story to. My poor child part who was locked in the knot in my neck and suffering so much as I was trying to evict her. The pain in my neck and the knot are totally gone and instead I have a sweet little companion who is helping me rediscover the joy in life.Pete Walker, you have changed my life.I have since recommended this book to dozens of friends who I know had awful childhoods too and many have picked it up. Each one who does messages me to tell me how much they recognise themselves in the book and I can't wait for all of them to finish it too and find themselves finally living life to the fullest.I messaged the woman who bought me the book to tell her it was the single greatest gift anyone had ever given me.Give yourself the gift of a life lived to the fullest. Give yourself the gift of finally healing those wounds that hurt so much and make every day a struggle. You deserve it. And you deserve to love yourself and be loved.

Have bought many books in the past and none has helped but this one is a life changer. It's therapy in a book! Gives me information so I can learn whilst giving advice and support so I can combat my issues face on. 100% recommend!

An easy read of a difficult subject

I purchased this book hoping it would have a few coping mechanism exercises in it. It had that and so much more. Seriously - this book entirely changed my life and how I viewed the people in my life (for the better). I've learnt so much from reading this book which will undeniably change my relationships for the better in the future. I wish I had found this book years ago, I would have suffered so much less in general from the typical playground bullies you meet in life, the relationship with my parents would be better, I would have been able to spot bad relationships very early on and been able to walk away sooner.It is an extremely compassionate book that explains your fight and flight response (and how important it is understanding what yours is), why people attack and abuse others, why you react to things in certain ways as well as giving you self soothing exercises when you feel hurt and overwhelmed. It covers so many aspects of life (work, home, friends, relationships)."The first step towards healing is changing the narrative you tell yourself about your pain". Brilliant.