Dr. Anderson Contaifer (CRM-SC 24.484, RQE 18.790) is a licensed physician in Brazil, board-certified in Internal Medicine (Clínica Médica), dedicated to the clinical care of people recovering from narcissistic abuse and Complex PTSD. Telemedicine consultations are available for patients in Brazil and abroad, in Portuguese or with live English translation (real-time translated captions on Google Meet).
Quick Definition
Narcissistic abuse and Complex PTSD: a medical perspective
Narcissistic abuse is a prolonged pattern of psychological aggression (idealization, devaluation, discard and hoovering) that keeps the victim’s nervous system in chronic alarm. Beyond the emotional wounds, it produces measurable physical consequences: insomnia, chronic pain, hormonal and immune changes, and in many cases Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Complex PTSD, ICD-11 code 6B41). Recovery is therefore both a psychological and a medical process.
Why a medical approach, not only therapy
Psychotherapy is essential to process the trauma. But years of chronic stress also leave a biological footprint: elevated cortisol and allostatic load, low-grade chronic inflammation, sleep disruption, gut and thyroid dysfunction, and cardiovascular strain. These findings are consistently documented in the scientific literature on prolonged interpersonal trauma (Felitti et al. 1998, DOI: 10.1016/S0749-3797(98)00017-8; McEwen 1998, DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199801153380307).
A physician evaluates and treats this physical dimension: investigating unexplained symptoms, ordering the right laboratory tests, treating insomnia and somatic complaints, and coordinating care with trauma-focused therapists.
What is Complex PTSD (ICD-11 6B41)?
Complex PTSD is an official diagnosis in the World Health Organization’s ICD-11. It includes the three classic PTSD symptom clusters (re-experiencing, avoidance, persistent sense of threat) plus three disturbances in self-organization: emotional dysregulation, negative self-concept and difficulties in relationships. It typically develops after prolonged or repeated trauma from which escape was difficult, and abusive relationships with narcissistic partners or parents are among the most common causes in adult life.
In Brazilian Portuguese the condition is called TEPT-C (Transtorno de Estresse Pós-Traumático Complexo). Our full Portuguese-language medical guides are available on the Quebrando as Algemas hub.
Watch in English: the channel has automatic English dubbing
The Dr. Anderson Contaifer YouTube channel (over 90,000 subscribers) covers narcissistic abuse recovery from a medical point of view. Videos include an automatically dubbed English audio track: open any video, tap the gear icon (Settings), choose Audio track and select English.
For patients in the United States and abroad
A large part of our audience lives in the United States, home to the world’s biggest Brazilian community, as well as in Europe and Japan. If you speak Portuguese, the consultation runs normally in Portuguese. If you are more comfortable in English, the consultation can be conducted with live translated captions on Google Meet, which translate between English and Portuguese in real time. Dr. Contaifer already provides telemedicine care for patients living abroad, under his Brazilian medical license and in accordance with Brazilian telemedicine regulations (CFM Resolution 2.314/2022).
Contact us on WhatsApp (you may write in English or Portuguese) or visit drandersoncontaifer.com.br. To see exactly how the appointment works, step by step, read how the medical consultation for narcissistic abuse survivors works.
Frequently asked questions
Is narcissistic abuse a formal medical diagnosis?
No. Narcissistic abuse describes a pattern of prolonged psychological aggression in a relationship with a person who has pathological narcissistic traits. The victim’s resulting conditions, such as Complex PTSD (ICD-11 6B41), depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms, are the formal diagnoses that physicians evaluate and treat.
What kind of doctor treats victims of narcissistic abuse?
There is no medical specialty called “narcissistic abuse”. Victims are usually cared for by internal medicine physicians or psychiatrists experienced in chronic trauma, working together with trauma-focused psychotherapists. The physician’s role is to evaluate and treat the physical consequences of prolonged stress: insomnia, chronic pain, hormonal, immune and cardiovascular changes.
Can I have a consultation if I live outside Brazil?
Yes, by telemedicine. Consultations are held in Portuguese or, for English speakers, with real-time translated captions on Google Meet. Dr. Anderson Contaifer (CRM-SC 24.484, RQE 18.790) is licensed in Brazil and practices under Brazilian telemedicine regulations. Many of his patients are Brazilians living in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.
I do not speak Portuguese. Can the consultation be in English?
Yes. Consultations use Google Meet, which offers real-time translated captions between English and Portuguese, so English speakers can understand and be understood throughout the appointment. When you contact us on WhatsApp, you can write in English; just mention that you would like an English-supported consultation.
Does Complex PTSD from narcissistic abuse have treatment?
Yes. Evidence-based care follows a phased approach (ISTSS guidelines): stabilization of the body and nervous system, trauma processing with therapies such as EMDR or trauma-focused CBT, and reintegration. Medical follow-up addresses sleep, pain, inflammation and other physical consequences, and medication may support treatment when indicated.
About Dr. Anderson Contaifer
Dr. Anderson Contaifer de Carvalho is a Brazilian physician (medical degree from EMESCAM, 2012), board-certified in Internal Medicine by the Brazilian Society of Internal Medicine (SBCM), license CRM-SC 24.484, specialist registry RQE 18.790. He is the creator of Quebrando as Algemas (“Breaking the Chains”), a medical education project about narcissistic abuse recovery, and has been interviewed on Brazilian media such as the Desafios program with Ely Blunck.
This page is for education only and does not replace an individual medical evaluation.