Toxic stress is the theory that severe psychological stress can permanently change the brain's physical structure and wiring. Yet, research does not show that psychological stress can permanently alter neurobiology. Dr. Michael Scheeringa highlights the gaping holes in the concept of complex PTSD (as opposed to regular PTSD) and discusses the dangers of adhering to an unproven theory. Scheeringa draws on his experience as both a practicing clinician and the principal investigator on five large, federally-funded research projects on the topic of PTSD in children and adolescents to support a shocking claim: that the widely accepted idea of 'toxic stress' is based on ideology rather than scientific evidence. Dr. Scheeringa, a tenured professor at Tulane U School of Medicine, has been a consultant to several national efforts including the National Academy of Sciences and the DSM-3.