Call Us: 423 661-4734 | Email: requests@comeandreason.com      
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental-health condition caused by trauma, such as combat, sexual assault, child abuse, terrorism, traffic accidents, or any other event in which one experiences a serious threat to life or limb. This can include being the direct victim of the trauma or being a witness to it.

PTSD was called “shell shock” in WWI and “combat stress reaction” in WWII. In 1952, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders First Edition (DSM-I) called this “gross stress reaction.” It wasn’t until 1980 and the DSM-III that the term Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was first used.

The current diagnostic criteria (DSM-V) for PTSD includes the following:

Exposure to actual or threatened death or serious injury. This would include being the victim of such trauma, but also witnessing the event or learning of trauma to a close family member, and also personnel, such as emergency workers, who are exposed to repeated traumatic situations.

Not everyone who is exposed to a traumatic experience develops PTSD, but for those who do, the symptoms include:

A. Presence of one or more of the following:

  1. Recurrent involuntary intrusive distressing memories.
  2. Recurrent distressing dreams.
  3. Feeling or acting as if the event is happening again.
  4. Intense prolonged psych distress at exposure or cues of the trauma.
  5. Marked emotional reaction to internal or external cues of the trauma.

B. Persistent avoidance (one or more.)

  1. Avoidance of memories, thoughts, or feelings of the trauma.
  2. Avoidance of reminders, people, and places related to the trauma.

C. Negative Alteration in mood/cognition (two or more.)

  1. Inability to remember details of trauma.
  2. Persistent exaggerated negative beliefs.
  3. Persistent distorted cognition about cause or consequences.
  4. Persistent negative emotions, guilt, horror, shame.
  5. Decreased interest.
  6. Inability to experience positive emotions.

D. Alterations arousal (two or more.)

  1. Irritability, anger outbursts.
  2. Reckless or self-destructive behavior (heavy drinking, drugs, suicidal thoughts or attempts, etc.)
  3. Hypervigilance (continual alertness for potential threats.)
  4. Exaggerated startle response.
  5. Impaired concentration.
  6. Sleep disturbance.

One of the reasons some people develop PTSD when exposed to trauma and others do not is their genetic makeup. Research shows that in the human genome, there are different versions of our genes. Some versions make a person more vulnerable to PTSD than other versions.[1] This is important to recognize because the development of PTSD is not about how “strong” one is; rather, it has its roots in our biology.

Other factors in developing PTSD include how the event is understood and processed. The greater sense of isolation, abandonment, betrayal, and helplessness when going through a traumatic experience, the greater likelihood of developing PTSD. This is why so much emphasis is placed on unit morale and cohesion in the military. The greater the bonds of brotherhood, the less the sense of isolation and abandonment, which in turn diminishes the risk of PTSD in the face of real trauma.

Families in which there is strong cohesion—bonds of support, love, encouragement, open communication to talk about life’s stresses—is protective against PTSD when traumatic events occur. Conversely, homes in which there is ongoing family conflict—arguments, lack of support, no one to talk to about life’s stresses—increases the risk of PTSD. And, of course, PTSD risk is magnified when violence or abuse occurs in the home. Homes without cohesion create atmospheres that magnify the sense of isolation, thereby increasing PTSD risk. And when a parent is the source of the trauma, PTSD risk is extremely high as elements of betrayal are also included in the trauma. This would cause a traumatized child to grow up distrusting others and experiencing typical sources of support or security as unreliable (spouses, clergy, police), thereby magnifying the sense of fear, isolation, and threat.

When one is in a high-trauma experience, the brain’s alarm circuit fires at a very high intensity. This causes sensory input and memories to be distorted. The mind becomes hyper-focused on the perceived danger, which can magnify the perceived threat. For instance, an assailant might be remembered as bigger or a gun as larger than it really was. Time and distance are often distorted in how events are remembered. A soldier in combat whose friend is killed may remembers being 3 feet away, when in fact he was 30 yards away. Or, significant events may not be remembered at all.

In the aftermath of a trauma, a person wants to make sense of what happened, so the mind will attempt to sort and explain the experience to the self. The younger a person is when the trauma occurs, the greater likelihood the event will be internalized with inaccuracies or distortions, particularly toward the self.

Trauma survivors often experience false guilt in the aftermath of the event. A person may blame themselves: “I should have never gone down that street.” “If I wouldn’t have stopped at that rest stop, this would have never happened,” etc. The younger a person is at the time of the trauma, the greater the likelihood of such false narratives and the more likely the distortion will not simply be about the event but about the self—“I’m ugly. I’m dirty. I’m bad,” etc.

One of the reasons this happens is because we don’t like to feel vulnerable or helpless, so in the aftermath of the traumatic event, the mind seeks to identify choices we can make to ensure we are never vulnerable to such an experience again. Thus, the mind searches for things we did “wrong” in order to fix them so that we can be safe in the future. This, of course, is all based on a false premise, that the trauma was the fault of the one traumatized. Such false internal narratives perpetuate and sustain the PTSD symptomology and is why successful treatments include reprocessing therapies in order to remove distorted narratives and replace them with accurate ones.

Treatments for PTSD

Talk-Therapies for PTSD with the strongest evidence of success include:

  • Prolonged Exposure (PE.)
    Involves working with a trained provider to face the feelings or activities that you have been avoiding in order to work through the intense emotions, resolve the trauma memories, and stop the automatic responses.
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT.)
    Focuses on working with your provider to reprocess and reframe the trauma. This involves writing assignments, learning to identify how the trauma has been labeled in your thinking, and moving away from exaggerated and inflammatory labels to fact-based ways of remembering.
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR.)
    Helps you reprocess and resolve the trauma by talking through the memories with a provider while paying attention to a back-and-forth movement or sound (like a finger waving side to side, a light, or a tone).

Sometimes medications are used to help manage symptoms, but the medications do not resolve the disorder because resolution requires changing the internal narrative about the event. Medications, however, can help sleep, reduce the emotional reactivity, decrease some of the intrusive thoughts, decrease irritability and the impending sense of fear. Here is a partial list of medications that are used to treat PTSD:

For depression and anxiety:

  • Sertraline (Zoloft).
  • Paroxetine (Paxil).
  • Venlafaxine (Effexor).
  • Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq).
  • Fluoxetine (Prozac).

For nightmares:

  • Prazosin (Minipress).

For mood stabilization:

  • Quetiapine (Seroquel).
  • Lamotrigine (Lamictal).
  • Aripiprazole (Ablify).

Recent research has demonstrated the potential therapeutic benefit of psychedelic drugs, such as Ecstasy or Psilocybin (magic mushrooms), when used in small, single doses in conjunction with a trained therapist to reprocess the trauma memories. The early results suggest these compounds make the brain’s memory pathways uniquely susceptible to rapid rewiring that, when utilized with a trained clinician, can reprocess the narrative and result in same-day marked reduction in symptoms that have persisted for months. WebMD has a summary article giving an overview of the current findings. It wouldn’t surprise me if such treatments become standardized in the near future. Using psychedelic drugs on one’s own is dangerous and could result in worsening as the drugs make one more susceptible to rewiring; thus the importance of working with a specialist.

PTSD is a real condition caused by real traumatizing life events that, if unresolved, interferes with our ability to function across the landscape of human experiences (vocational, relational, psychological). But this condition is treatable. If you are struggling with PTSD, I encourage you to seek out a trained provider and get treatment.

We cannot change history. We cannot undo the traumas of our past, but we can heal the wounds so that we don’t have to continue to experience the ongoing pain from those past events. So, get help—you are worth it!


[1] Bradley et al. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2008;65:190–200.


Email me the blog whenever a new one is published.

Donate online, securely via PayPal using your credit or debit card (no PayPal account needed, unless you want to set up a monthly, recurring payment).


cancel recurring payment

 

Want to use zelle instead?
See how on our
Support and Donations page.

Upcoming Events

calendar

Testimonial Post Slider

Testimony 54

I had a lot of pressure, as a pastor’s kid, to conform and be “good.” I was good at being “good.” I thought my life was going along well until it all started falling apart and I could not figure out why! In my search for “why is this happening to me, God?” I came across your book, “Could it be this Simple,” and God started revealing to me the many distortions I held about His character, His principles, and how He has designed His universe to operate. I remember thinking, “Wow, I have had this all backwards.” I was happy and angry all at the same time. Happy to have the light of truth break through the darkness, revealing a wonderful, beautiful way of understanding God and His plan for His children, and angry, because I felt deceived and cheated by the church, my family, and myself!

My heart thrills when I listen to your bible study lessons. Literally I have gone from death to life. It is a journey I look forward to every day, as God reveals areas this distortion affects. Praise GOD! I will ever be grateful to God for this ministry and your cooperation with the Spirit!

Karen S., Portal, AZ, USA

 

Testimony 60

Just watched watched lesson 10 in the 1st quarter 2021 bible study classs on Isaiah. I want to thank you for your intellectual spirituality; it’s not an oxymoron! From the point of view of a teacher I also enjoy seeing how much personal pleasure you clearly take in not just tasting, but feasting on God’s word – it reminds me of Jeremiah not being able to hold it in! It makes me smile that your cup is so full and overflowing that you make it to Tuesday’s lesson (on a good day). It just goes to show the richness of God’s Word.

God bless the Come and Reason Team from our church here in Great Britain.

Andrew H., Great Britain

 

Testimony 3

My husband is a pastor and I listen to your lesson almost every week. Thank you for helping me in my study life and to help me love the “real” God more.

C. F., NC, USA

 

Testimony 40

I was brought up in a different faith and have been petrified my whole life of God. I believed that I would burn in hell for eternity. When I was 12 I started pursuing the things of this world, but for the next 45 years the Spirit was always calling me, as I knew there was a God through nature. I could see the vast sea of stars in the universe and knew there was something bigger out there. Five years ago, through a Revelation seminar, I was blessed to learn about God’s character and government.

Then I found Come and Reason Ministries and have come under some extreme pressure when I speak about the ministry. One time a member sent me an internet article titled “Whats wrong with Tim Jennings?” I asked her what she thought of it and she said “I don’t know, I didn’t read it.”

I have always wanted to find out for myself the truth about God, so I stayed with the Design Law construct and have been liberated to understand the big picture. Once we consider Design Law, all other Bible stories and prophecies seem to fit perfectly. It is truly beautiful to see people grasping how God operates this Universe of Love and the liberation it has provided in their lives. It blows my mind to see how consistent Design law is with what our founders believed. I hear statements like “This makes so much sense.”

Tom W., Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA

 

Testimony 12

I have been really blessed reading your response to the various questions on your site.

K.C., OH, USA

 

Testimony 49

I came into the church at 21, but that is as far as it went. I was so confused about what love is. I couldn’t find it in the bible, because I am not a person that can read between the lines. I have no logic. I have read many, many books; trying to figure out the crux of the matter. They were helpful, but something was still missing. I have become very frustrated to the point of crying out to God, “Where can I go?”  I needed some basics.

I found two books, written by Timothy Jennings, MD, to be very helpful. God showed me that I had lived my whole life in fear. I didn’t even see it. Now, I do. God is so good.  I discovered the “The Remedy”  Dr. Jennings new book, “The God-Shaped Heart!” Oh, I was so excited, I purchased them right away.

I can get rid of most of my books, because “The Remedy” brings the Love of God out so clearly, even I can’t miss it. Now, I want to sit and read my Bible. Wow, what a revelation! It is just simply Awesome! I am so grateful to Jehovah Almighty for hearing my prayer for more understanding! I am so encouraged!

Jackie S.

 

Testimony 26

Your teachings about our heavenly Father have changed my life. Thank you sooooooo very very much! I know He’s doing some serious healing in my heart and life and I look forward to each new day to learn something new about Him and to just hear you speak about Him. Thank you, forever.

Nancy S.

 

Testimony 71

When I was 9 years old, I remember setting at our devotional table with a hunger and thirst for God that wanted more, deeper, BETTER. I can remember literally crying and pounding on the table, “I know these teachers didn’t mean to give us error. They taught what THEY had been TAUGHT, but didn’t ANYBODY READ THE BOOK?!?!?” It mattered to me then. It mattered to me as a teenager. It matters now as I teach bible classes. It didn’t have to be so hard as I watched so many give up and lay God’s great plan and gift of salvation aside as being “impossible.” Then, a friend sent me a link to Come And Reason’s website. I grew excited. YES! FINALLY! Then another friend told me to stay away, saying her son had just broken up with a girl because she was involved with Come And Reason and that “Tim Jennings preaches a false gospel.” But, AFTER many years of developing an authentic and, dare I say FUN relationship with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit I see this message has been around a LONG time, since the apostle Paul, Ellen White, Graham Maxwell, Ray Foucher, and yourself (though I admit, you’ve made me back up, rewind and replay the clips, and get out my well-worn Bible on a few things.) I’m so thankful I have found LIGHT during these DARK days. I am not alone.

Vicki DiNitto

Testimony 70

I have been watching you for many years and have learned to love God with all my heart. I was raised by a loving Christian mother that had been lied to about who God really was, so our religious upbringing was hell fire and damnation. As soon as I was old enough and moved out, I not only left the church, I ran as fast as I could to get away from it. Sad to say, it wasn’t until the past couple of years that I learned and understand who my Father really is and how much He loves me. I understand God’s Design Laws (which make sense) and when I’m teaching my church Bible study class, I’m able to really put to use the things I’ve been learning and Holy Spirit is leading. Thank you for introducing me to my Father of true, pure love. Everyday with Him is new and exciting. One thing that breaks my heart is that I didn’t know Him sooner. God Bless you and your ministry!

Judy Phelps, Reno, NV, USA

Testimony 55

I was born [into the church], then I left it for many years. 10 years ago, I came back, but I could not take the hypocrisy and the lack of answers to the missing pieces. I struggled, but I did not abandon my commitment to know the truth. God is leading me to the simple understanding of his relevance and I am relearning what the church taught me as a youth… that he loves me, that he has led me to a knowledge of him such as I have never known. He is using Dr. Jennings to connect the dots that are now so apparent and hiding in plain sight!

Dean P., Arlington, TX, USA

 

Testimony 1

Thank you! I love listening to the Come And Reason Ministries Bible study classes and am using some of your notes to get the lessons together that I will be teaching. You always have such good quotes and Bible texts and pull things together to make good sense.

T. C., IN, USA

 

Testimony 47

I can’t even begin to thank you and your ministry enough for introducing me to the Truth about a loving and merciful God! I have my daughter and her in-laws to thank for sharing with me “The God-Shaped Brain” as well as your website. I listen to the Bible study class lessons on my daily walk. May God continue to bless your thirst-quenching ministry!

Liz H., Port Angeles, WA, USA

 

 

Testimony 69

After reading your book, ‘Could It Be This Simple,’ someone was explaining Christianity in a way that made sense to me for the first time in my life. One morning, I simply prayed “I’m sorry and I love you.” As soon as I silently said that, I could literally feel God’s presence and light flood down on me from above and fill me up with love and joy. I sat there crying my eyes out, because I was so overpowered with this feeling of love and joy. It was just so incredible. I hope that more people can read this book and get a blessing from it. It’s really amazing.

Rachael H.

Testimony 16

Your seminars are still inspiring and changing our lives and we continue to share the principles we have learned from you. Your ministry has changed our lives!

E.W.

 

Testimony 27

Your teachings about our heavenly Father have changed my life. Thank you sooooooo very very much! I know He’s doing some serious healing in my heart and life and I look forward to each new day to learn something new about Him and to just hear you speak about Him. Thank you, forever.

Nancy S.