The Shame Beneath Complex PTSD: How Invalidation Becomes a Belief About Who We Are
Invalidation is something we all experience. It becomes a clinical diagnosis of Complex PTSD when invalidation is so predominant that it becomes traumatic invalidation.
Anna Lacey, LCSW
8/24/20261 min read
The Shame Beneath Complex PTSD
How Invalidation Becomes a Belief About Who We Are
By Anna Lacey, LCSW
The Shame Beneath Complex PTSD
Most people know the self-doubt that can follow being dismissed, criticized, or misunderstood: Am I too sensitive? Am I asking for too much? Is something wrong with me?
When invalidation is repeated—especially during childhood—it can become more than a painful interaction. A child may internalize the message that their feelings do not matter, their needs make them a burden, or their authentic self is unlovable. These shame-based beliefs can later contribute to people-pleasing, perfectionism, emotional shutdown, isolation, and complete self-reliance.
In my latest article, I explore how invalidation becomes a belief about the self, why these beliefs are better understood as adaptations rather than character defects, and how safe, validating relationships can help transform them.
To learn more, click here.
Further reading:
https://letthelightintherapy.com/why-i-say-we-in-complex-trauma-therapy
https://letthelightintherapy.com/shared-humanity-is-not-the-same-as-equal-suffering
Sources
World Health Organization. Post-traumatic stress disorder. May 27, 2024.
World Health Organization. ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics.
Krause, E. D., Mendelson, T., & Lynch, T. R. (2003). Childhood emotional invalidation and adult psychological distress. Child Abuse & Neglect, 27(2), 199-213.