From Trauma to Triumph: How Faith Carries Me Through PTSD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder—commonly known as PTSD—is one of the hardest battles I’ve ever faced.
In my early twenties, I survived a sexual assault that left a lasting impact on my body, mind, and soul. For years, I carried the weight of that trauma in silence. When I first began experiencing symptoms of PTSD, I didn’t realize what was happening. It started with flashbacks—vivid, involuntary memories that would interrupt even the most mundane moments. I remember folding laundry when I was suddenly overwhelmed by images from the assault. I couldn’t move. I felt frozen in time, forced to relive something I desperately wanted to forget.
I thought it would pass. So I said nothing.
But it didn’t pass. Those flashbacks began to trigger episodes of bipolar disorder, a diagnosis I had already been managing. The lack of sleep and emotional overload from PTSD pushed me into extreme highs and lows that often landed me in the hospital. Doctors and loved ones couldn’t understand why I was constantly in crisis—but I knew it was more than just bipolar disorder. Something deeper was happening.
Years later, I finally told my psychiatrist about the flashbacks. He briefly mentioned PTSD, but it wasn’t until I found a new psychiatrist that I was officially diagnosed. This doctor took my symptoms seriously and explained that before we could go deeper into treatment, I needed to learn how to cope with PTSD. I entered a specialized therapy program, and slowly, things began to change.
Today, the flashbacks are rare. I’m no longer easily triggered. I’ve learned to manage the trauma—not just through therapy and medical care, but through faith.
The Power of Prayer
Prayer has been one of the greatest sources of healing in my journey. When trauma rises up, prayer grounds me. It shifts my focus from pain to peace—from what happened to me to what was done for me on the cross.
I believe in spiritual warfare. I believe we must be equipped, as Ephesians 6 says, with the full armor of God. For me, that begins with constant prayer. Prayer isn’t just me talking to God—it’s me connecting with the One who created me. That connection brings peace nothing else can offer.
There’s something freeing about knowing I don’t have to carry my pain alone. When I bring it to God, I can rest. I can breathe again.
Faith Doesn’t Always Give Answers—But It Always Offers Presence
People have asked me: “Do you blame God for what happened to you?”
I’ve wrestled with that question. I’ve cried out, “Where were You, God? Why didn’t You stop it?”
And while I still don’t have all the answers, here’s what I do know: God never left me. He carried me through it. That alone is makes God worthy of all the glory.
Today, I’ve stopped asking, “Where were You?” and instead I say, “Thank You for carrying me.” That shift in perspective has brought healing I never thought possible.
If You're Still in the Fight...
If you’re battling PTSD, or recovering from trauma, I want you to know this: You are not alone. Healing is real. Peace is possible. And there is hope.
It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen. With the right support, therapy, and most importantly, with faith—you can be whole again.
I still pray for complete healing. But even now, in the “in-between,” I believe God is using my story for His glory. He’s turning my trauma into a testimony—and my pain into purpose.
Comments