In addition to pain and grief, traumatic experiences sometimes leave gifts in their wake
“Is it Avi?” she asked, referring to their brother.
“Yes,” said her sister.
“Is he okay?”
“No, he’s not.”
Oriyah started to murmur pirkei Tehillim, then stopped and asked if Avi was still alive. “No,” was the response. The floor collapsed beneath her feet.
Avi had been battling an opioid addiction for years, cycling in and out of rehabilitation centers. Oriyah and her family had been living in fear, never knowing if he was going to make it through. He’d managed to hold tight, even showing some improvement over the previous few months. To suddenly lose him, when she thought he was doing better, was devastating.
Nearly everyone on the planet would, if given the choice, prefer to avoid any traumatic events in their lives. However, most people will, at some point or another, and to differing degrees, experience trauma. Often, traumatic events can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Sufferers can experience a variety of physical, mental, and emotional consequences, including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, eating disorders, migraines, and intrusive thoughts and memories.
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