Navigating the Complexities of Trauma and Self-Perception

The ICD-11 introduces the trauma questionnaire, which identifies Disturbances in Self-Organization (DSO) as a key aspect of trauma. DSO includes affective dysregulation, which resembles borderline personality traits but encompasses a broader spectrum of experiences. It features hyperactivation, associated with externalization and often linked to borderline, as well as deactivation, which presents as dissociation, depersonalization, and derealization. Additionally, individuals with complex PTSD may develop a negative self-concept and perceive the world as unsafe, leading to avoidance of intimate relationships due to the pain linked to past partnerships.