Healing in Real Time: My Life With CPTSD & The Power of Nervous System Regulation

Author: Sharika Pruitt, Ed.S, LPC, NCC

"Let me start by saying this — CPTSD is not a life sentence. It’s a life companion you learn how to manage, soothe, and even learn from. It’s layered, it’s loud at times, and it can mimic all kinds of things — from ADHD to anxiety to emotional burnout. But what I’ve discovered in my healing journey is that it doesn’t get to win. Not if you stay aware, consistent, and fiercely committed to yourself."

What is CPTSD, Really?

Complex PTSD, or CPTSD, is what happens when trauma isn’t just a single event — it’s a way of life. It stems from repeated exposure to overwhelming stress over time, like childhood neglect, chronic emotional abuse, or living in unstable or unsafe environments. It impacts how your brain perceives safety, how your body reacts to everyday life, and how your nervous system functions.

For me, CPTSD began at eight years old. That’s when the sexual abuse happened. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. I grew up in a tiny house in urban Birmingham with a narcissistic father, an alcoholic mother, and a younger brother who would later battle his own demons. My mother was consumed by my father’s constant betrayal, which left my brother and me invisible — emotionally neglected and emotionally starved.

I was the only adult in the house, even as a child. I was parentified, expected to clean, manage bills, and maintain the household by the age of 15. I watched my father manipulate everything and everyone around him. My mother, brokenhearted and codependent, couldn’t protect us — she could barely protect herself. She passed away from alcoholism and heart disease at just 41 years old. I was 17.

Surviving Was My Superpower… Until It Wasn’t

I left home for good at 17. I moved in with my godmother, graduated with honors, and started college alone — no care packages, no extra money, no safety net. But still, I was the one people called for help.

“I had to pay for my brother’s school clothes, his school supplies, and even helped him purchase a car at 16. This went completely unnoticed.”

That pattern of over-functioning? That’s one of the ways CPTSD shows up. You become so accustomed to chaos and survival that you confuse stress with purpose. You attach your value to how well you hold everything (and everyone) together. Even when no one’s checking on you.

CPTSD Can Mimic Neurodivergence

Let’s talk about this for a second because a lot of us get misdiagnosed — or missed altogether.

CPTSD often mimics neurodivergent traits, especially those related to ADHD and Autism. Why? Because when your nervous system is constantly in a state of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn, your brain gets stuck in hyper-vigilance or dissociation. You might:

• Zone out or lose time (freeze/dissociation)

• Feel overly reactive or impulsive (fight/flight)

• Overwork and overextend to please others (fawn)

• Constantly forget things, miss appointments, or feel disorganized (executive dysfunction)

I used to feel broken — like something was wrong with me. But I’ve learned that this wasn’t who I am, it was how I adapted. My nervous system wasn’t dysregulated because I was lazy or scattered; it was trying to protect me.

My Healing Wasn’t Linear… But It Was Transformational

Therapy saved me. I started intense therapy at 18, continued until 25, and returned again at 35 — and still, I check in regularly. I’ve done inner child work, nervous system regulation, trauma processing, EMDR, mindset coaching, and most importantly — re-parenting.

“I’ve had some tough lessons on detachment the last few months, and I’ve found myself detaching from everything that no longer serves me. This has helped me truly walk into my higher self and embrace my strength, courage, and wisdom.”

You see, healing from CPTSD isn’t just about “getting over it.” It’s about building a whole new way of being. It’s about finding peace in your body when your past taught you to only feel safe in chaos.

How I Manage My CPTSD Today (And You Can Too)

Here’s the truth: CPTSD may never fully go away, but it can absolutely be managed. These are my go-to protective factors that help me feel safe, grounded, and empowered:

🌀 Nervous System Regulation:

• Breath-work (deep belly breaths for 4 counts in, 4 counts out)

• Progressive muscle relaxation (tense and release each muscle group slowly)

• Cold water therapy (splashing cold water on my face helps ground me)

• Somatic movement (dancing, stretching, or shaking off stuck energy)

✨ Daily Rituals:

• Morning meditations to set my tone for the day

• Evening journaling to process emotions and wins

• Nature walks when I need to reset and reconnect

🧠 Community & Coaching:

• Weekly sessions with my therapist

• A life coach who helps me stay accountable to my highest self

• A community of like-minded women who speak the same healing language

“I allow myself to rest when I need to and to adventure when the time is right.”

Thailand 2024

What I Want You To Know

If you’re reading this and resonating with any of it, let me say this to you:

✨ You are not dramatic, crazy, or broken.

✨ You are responding to years of unmet needs and chronic survival mode.

✨ You deserve support, softness, safety, and deep rest.

Healing from CPTSD requires us to slow down, become conscious of our patterns, and most importantly — stop abandoning ourselves.

I don’t have it all figured out. Some days are still hard. But I’ve learned that peace isn’t a place — it’s a practice. And I choose it, every single day.

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Final Note:

You can’t heal in the same environments that broke you.

You can’t regulate your nervous system if your life is built on hustle and survival.

But you can rebuild — slowly, intentionally, and with so much grace.

Want to follow more of my journey or join my coaching community? You don’t have to do this alone. Healing is hard — but healing together is powerful.