By Nancy Virden (c)2026 AlwaysTheFight.com

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) can lose its power over a person in time. While devastating, PTSD can seem to control one’s mind, time, and sense of safety. PTSD can come from any trauma, whether it is judged by outsiders as a big deal or not. I have had PTSD with varying symptoms since childhood.

However, there were years when I jumped at every little sound. The worst part was the mini (and larger) panic attacks. Getting help wasn’t easy because it meant finding a therapist who knew what to do (not all do). Admitting to myself that what was happening wasn’t normal was tough, too, because it seemed normal to me. At the worst of times, I didn’t even want to leave the house, let alone open up about my deepest pain.

I will forever admit that my worst mistake was not telling anyone, or not telling anyone who could help. But since trying for help, therapy has moved over the years from discovery of what was real, to healing, to maintenance.

I don’t jump at sounds or the appearance of a person in the doorway anymore. That is evidence of healing from PTSD. Some events will still trigger a fearful response, but they are fewer. Each person’s experience is different from anyone else’s because we are complex.

Anxiety, panic attacks of any size, and ensuing reactions are part of PTSD’s definition. They get easier the further one is from the danger. I am 47 years from childhood, and 10 years from an abusive marriage, and I can testify that with time, PTSD can lessen.

As a side note, it is unfair to judge another for their triggers or PTSD symptoms. We see only the outside and have no idea what traumas or dangers the person has faced. PTSD does not mean weakness; it is the body’s way of maintaining safety.

I often talk of my faith in Jesus. Without Him by my side, I do not know where I would be. While I have needed professionals to help break down barriers to the truth, it is the Holy Spirit who has revealed it to me. The tangible presence of God is an anchor for my soul like no other during the storms of PTSD.

-COMMENTS WELCOME

Today’s Helpful Word

Psalm 34:8-9

 Taste and see that the Lord is good.
    Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
 Fear the Lord, you his godly people,
    for those who fear him will have all they need.

If you are feeling suicidal or concerned about someone who is, in the U.S., call 988, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. For a list of international suicide hotlines, go here.

If you are suicidal with a plan, immediately call 911 in the U.S. or go to your nearest emergency room; in the EU, call 112. (For other international emergency numbers, go here.) Hope and help are yours!

Always the Fight Ministries (ATFM) has been displaying compassion for those fighting mental illness, addiction, or abuse since 2012. Nancy is the founder and voice of ATFM and openly shares her emotional resurrection from despair. 

NOTE: Nancy is not a doctor or a mental health professional and speaks only from personal experience and observations. This website is not intended to substitute for professional mental or behavioral health care.

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