PTSD – Song of Victory!

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a group of symptoms that results from a traumatic life event. Symptoms include recurring flashbacks and nightmares, avoidance of places or things that remind them of the situation, changes in mood, and loss of interest in things that were once interesting. PTSD has been diagnosed in about 8 million adults in the US, and it is expected that 1 in 13 Americans will develop it at some point in their life. It is also estimated that 40% of children will experience trauma that may also lead to PTSD.¹

Anxiety or even panic can be triggered by even the smallest things. How often are we reminded of a person, place, or thing simply because of a smell, a song, or a flavor? A smell that reminds you of Grandma’s house, a flavor that triggers a memory of a vacation, or a song that takes you back to your wedding day are all examples. For someone with PTSD, the same applies, but when those memories are triggered, the body goes into the same “flight or fight” response that it did when the event occurred.

PTSD is typically associated with a traumatic life event, but it is also common for people without “full-blown” PTSD to experience a physical or emotional reaction when reminded of a negative experience. In fact, you can have a physical reaction to something that you don’t cognitively remember. This is because the body itself holds memories at the cellular level.

Here is a personal example. When I was in my 20s, I enjoyed renovating furniture. While sanding a table, the sander slipped and hit my pinky finger causing it to swell up dramatically. I was wearing a ring on that finger and knew I needed to remove it, so I iced the finger and spent 30 minutes “negotiating” the ring off my finger. Once the finger healed, I attempted to put the ring back on but, to my surprise, the finger started swelling again. To this day, I am unable to wear a ring on that finger without it swelling because my pinky still remembers.

On a much more serious level, survivors of physical or sexual abuse often hold memories throughout their bodies. For them, a touch in a certain way or a certain place can bring back the trauma. Even if they have “worked through” the trauma with a therapist, the reaction can still occur, and it is very real. (I have included an article on this important topic in the Resources section.)

PTSD is very real and very serious. Not only can it cause massive interference with a person’s ability to do daily tasks, but it puts the victim at a higher risk for harmful behaviors such as alcoholism or drug abuse, as well as suicide. If you are suffering from PTSD, it is important to get help. I have included several resources including online support groups on our Mental Health Resources page to help you to find help.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, please go to our Crisis Hotlines page.

Whether you are diagnosed with PTSD or just suffer from debilitating thoughts, memories, or feelings from a negative event in your life, understand that God wants you to heal, and he will be by your side through the process.
Here are some suggestions to help you with that healing process.

Understand that PTSD is very real, and it is not your fault.
God designed our bodies with protection mechanisms that react to dangerous situations. Your body and your mind did what they needed to do in order to deal with the situation. In extreme or prolonged situations, your body continues to react and may not know how to shut itself down. You are not to blame.

Remind yourself that there is hope for recovery.
Self-harming behaviors and suicidal ideation stem from a lack of hope. Jesus is the great physician. He not only heals bodies, but he heals minds as well. Your healing may not happen overnight, but there is always hope. Remind yourself of that every day. Post scripture texts or other phrases in your home as reminders.

Identify your triggers.
When something in your environment triggers anxiety, write it down. It is hard to fight an enemy that you can’t see. By identifying what is causing the reaction, you can be better prepared to deal with it. If you are having recurring nightmares, try to identify anything from the previous day that may have prompted the dream.

Check your medications.
If you take medications, check the side effects. Nightmares and anxiety can be side effects of certain drugs.

Be honest with those around you.
It is important to protect yourself during the healing process. If someone is triggering a reaction, very calmly explain to them what you need from them. You don’t need to go into great detail about the trauma. Simply explain that you are working through some things and that this behavior makes you uncomfortable. If you don’t feel comfortable telling them to stop, or if they won’t stop, understand that it is ok to remove yourself from the situation. You are taking care of yourself, and you need not feel guilty for doing so.

Talk to people you trust.
God never intended us to walk this path alone. Find a person or persons that you trust; someone with whom you feel safe. Ask them for their support through the healing process. Talk to them about the trauma and how it made you feel. Let them know what triggers the pain now. If you are going into a situation that triggers symptoms, ask them to go with you.

Pray.
Ask for healing from the trauma. Ask God for courage to face the things that are causing the fear. When you are in a stressful situation, close your eyes and see Jesus right next to you. He is there.

Practice calming techniques.
When the stress comes, take deep breaths. Recognize where the tension is in your body and try to relax it. Close your eyes and imagine Jesus holding his hands out to you. I’ve included relaxation techniques in the Resources section below. Find what works the best for you and practice them when you aren’t in a stressful situation so that they come more naturally to you.

Talk to your body.
If you are experiencing physical reactions, it is likely caused by body memory. You need to counsel your body so that it too can heal. Tell your body that it is now safe. Thank it for reacting when it needed to, but let it know that everything is ok now. Practice this when you are safe and talk out loud. Then when you are in a reactive situation, you will be able to silently tell it what it needs to hear. This may sound odd but, over time, it does work.

Take your thoughts captive.
Sometimes our biggest enemy can be our thoughts. Negative self-talk can be extremely detrimental. Guilt, shame, and the hurtful words of others can haunt us. Eliminating negative self-talk is hard. You need to replace those thoughts with healing thoughts. Write down scripture text or positive phrases that can replace the negative ones. (For more on this topic, please see the article on Speaking Life.)

Guard against social isolation.
It can be very tempting when dealing with PTSD to avoid going out of your home, but isolation can make the problem worse. Talk to those you trust and ask them to help you identify this. Call your local church and see what volunteer opportunities or groups you may be able to join.

Give yourself time.
Healing usually doesn’t happen overnight. Remind yourself that you are healing, and that healing takes time. Commit to making one small change at a time. Allow yourself time to grieve for what was lost, but don’t linger in that grief forever.

Find purpose.
Healing is enhanced if we can find some purpose for our suffering. For my family and me, the purpose is the ability to connect with and help others who are suffering. We know that by showing someone how we have healed, they can have hope. By talking with them about what we did as part of our healing process, they can do the same. Finding a purpose to any suffering is perhaps one of the most important steps to healing.

If you suffer from PTSD, please get help. This is not what God wants for your life. He wants you to be whole.