Happiful November 2019

two near-death experiences have
really affected me.
“In 2011 I fell ill, and was
misdiagnosed at the hospital. I had
pneumonia, but because it wasn’t
caught early enough it collapsed
my lung. I ended up in an intensive
care unit, and had two litres of
fluid drained from my lung.”
In 2015, Chloe fell ill again, after
experiencing symptoms such as
severe weight loss and stomach
cramps for two years, but doctors
told her it was ‘women’s troubles’.
“I ended up in hospital with
suspected appendicitis,” she says.
“I had my appendix removed, but I
continued to get worse. I was lying
in a hospital bed in horrendous
pain when I started hearing
popping sounds from my stomach.
“My large bowel had actually
started to perforate. I was rushed
to theatre, had a three-hour
operation to remove my large
intestine, and woke up with a
stoma bag. I was traumatised.”
Chloe says that now her anxiety
about her health and misdiagnosis
has increased – if she starts to
feel remotely ill she will panic
and have an emotional flashback,
giving her the same feelings she
had both times in hospital.
These experiences have changed
her personality and dependency
on people, making her more of
an emotional person, who has
difficulty controlling her moods.
“I struggle with suicidal feelings,
and feelings of hopelessness,” she
says. “I’m in therapy and working
on it, but I know I’ve got a long
road ahead of me. I’m thankful to
have a correct diagnosis so I know
what I’m working with, and so I can
understand my symptoms better.”
WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOU
HAVE CPTSD
For anyone concerned about their
mental health, the first thing you
should do is speak to your GP, and
get in touch with a mental health
professional.
Specifically with CPTSD, Dr
Touroni says: “Trauma that has
happened over a long period of
time can sometimes take time to
unravel, so I’d encourage people to
be patient with themselves.
“Healing is very much possible,
but it can take time. When
someone has felt very powerless,
it is about building up that sense of
self and empowerment gradually.
Practise self-care as much as
possible, and do the things that
nourish you. Getting outdoors,
plenty of fresh air, grounding
techniques, and practising
mindfulness breathing exercises,
can all be really beneficial.”
For more information on CPTSD
and PTSD, and to find a
professional to support you,
visit counselling-directory.org.uk
For more from Hattie, follow
her on Twitter and Instagram
@hattiegladwell
November 2019 • happiful.com • 57