Biblical Trauma: The exit of the Hebrews from Egypt
When I think about trauma biblically, the first thing that comes into mind is the book of Exodus. The book of Exodus records the Hebrews oppression during the mid-25th century B.C. The book describes a group of people who were once free but have now been enslaved in Egypt for 430 years. The decedents of Jacob and Joseph came to Egypt and were fruitful and very numerus which caused the new king of Egypt to fear the Israelites. The Egyptians ruthlessly forced the Hebrews into slavery. In addition, the King ordered the killing of their first-born sons.
As the Egyptians faced oppression, they planned for their escape through the Red Sea with Moses and with the authority of God. I cannot imagine the mental state of a group who experienced and witnessed the genocide and oppression of their people. The Hebrews must have experienced moments of fear, anxiety, anger and feeling of despair, defeat, and sadness over the traumatic events. Furthermore, the Exodus records the miraculous events that lead to their exit out of Egypt. God’s hand in providing deliverance for the Hebrews was all for his glory.
Exodus 3:14 NIV: God said to Moses “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “I AM has sent me to you.”
Although the Hebrews experienced trauma in Egypt and in the wilderness, God taught the Hebrews that he is their provider and that he will never let the righteous be forsaken. It took the Hebrews 40 years to get to the land of Canaan, when it should have taken them about 11 days. God delayed, delivered, and developed the Hebrews to build their faith and trust in him.
What is trauma? PTSD?
According to the American Psychological Association, trauma is an emotional response to a devastating event experienced either indirectly or directly. Everyone copes differently from a traumatic event. For some, it affects their ability to function and negatively impacts their lives. Recurrent and extreme emotional distress that occurs within 1 month following a traumatic event is called acute stress disorder (ASD). If it occurs for 1 month or more following a traumatic even it is called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The risk factors for developing PTSD include survival of sexual abuse, captivity, war combat, genocide, childhood abuse, divorce and losing a job. In addition, hearing about the event or being repeatedly exposed to details about an event can predispose someone into developing PTSD. Mental health disorders such as mood or anxiety disorders are also risk factors.
The clinical criteria for PTSD are listed below: One must have,
- Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious violence either directly, indirectly or as a witness.
- Presence of intrusion or reexperience symptoms associated with the traumatic event.
- Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event.
- Negative alteration in cognition and mood associated with the traumatic event.
- Reactivity/Hyperarousal: Hypervigilance, irritable behaviors, poor concentration, easily startled and difficulty sleeping.
If these symptoms seem like something you’re exprience, you can watch this video from our recent World Mental Health Day event to learn different strategies to find a Christian psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist.
Treatment for PTSD
There are both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment for PTSD. Pharmacologic therapy includes selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and prazosin. Nonpharmacologic therapy treatment includes cognitive behavioral therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR). Cognitive behavioral therapy helps patients identify and reorganize negative thought patterns and develop coping mechanism. EMDR helps to reduce the frequency of intrusive memories.
If you or someone you know are suffering from traumatic events or PTSD, please visit our resource page to find resources to help.
