PTSD is the Answer

Since when is PTSD the answer? Read on…

Here’s what I mean: Do you ever get caught in a negative thought pattern, thinking the same negative thoughts, either about yourself, others, or a situation? If so, there are ways to fix that.

Maybe you’ve found yourself thinking something such as:

• “I’ll never find someone to spend my life with. I’m unlovable.”

• “I won’t get that promotion I really want.”

• “Suzie Q. is so rude/mean-spirited/annoying.”

• "I can't believe that person said that. So dumb."

The solution is PTSD…meaning Plan, Train, Support, and Daily training.

• Plan. To change your thinking patterns, you need a plan. A popular resolution at the beginning of the year is to lose weight. But people will be largely unsuccessful without a specific plan of action. “Eat better and go to the gym” is not a specific, measurable plan. What foods will you eat or not eat? How many calories a day? Which days will you go the gym? Which classes will you take or which machines will you use? How many reps of each exercise?

• Train. To see results, you train. The gym analogy works well here, too – people train at the gym to be stronger, lose body fat, and sometimes they hire a trainer to help them achieve their goal faster. Train your mind, and you’ll see differences.

• Support. A support system helps you achieve your goals. Some people have an accountability partner to achieve a goal. We were not meant to travel the journey of life alone. "I can do it alone" is one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves.

• Daily training. Doing the desired behavior or action daily helps the habit stick.

I took these notes from a recent session at church. I like to see if the first letters of steps form a word or pattern. At first, I was mildly alarmed that the words I had underlined form PTSD…but then, I saw the very next thing I had written: God’s grace is sufficient. And it is.

Romans 8: 5-6 (NLT) says: “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”