FROM THE EDITORS April 21, 2008 Issue

WIPE THE SLATE CLEAN

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN a violent or tragic event seems to snuff out the possibility of normal living? Many times such an event leaves an individual with a tenacious mental impression that repeats itself like a broken record that doesn't ever skip to the next beat. The psychological aftereffects of an extreme traumatic experience are often referred to as PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

PTSD diagnoses in the United States have been on the upswing with return of veterans. Some estimates show that one out of every four soldiers returning from two or more tours of duty in Iraq suffers some form of the illness. Other statistics point to the large number of women who have served in the Iraq War—about 11 percent of the military force in Iraq and Afghanistan, or 180,000 deployed so far. Many of these women are returning to civilian life, caring for their children, and finding the task difficult under the strain of PTSD.

Take any innocent, unsuspecting adult—or child—anywhere in the world and expose him or her to a tragedy the likes of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, terrorist activity, or violence in the home, and the world would claim it's a perfect recipe for dysfunction. Yet, scientific healing prayer—the kind Christ Jesus taught and practiced, as explained in Christian Science—has mighty power to wipe the slate clean.

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