“Yeah, pretty much.”
“Hey.” Chris put up a hand. “I don’t think I appreciate the picture you two are painting.”
“This from the man,” said Emily, “who told mePride and Prejudicedoesn’t have enough sex.”
Priya patted his hand. “We know you so well, babe.”
They chatted as they ordered and while waiting for their food to arrive. It wasn’t long before Emily and Priya were laughing and trading stories about Chris. As much as he scowled and fussed, he sat close to Priya and his hand strayed often toward hers. Emily was happy for her brother. He’d met his match, a smart woman who gave as good as she got. Watching Priya sass Chris was much more amusing than she ever thought it would be and they looked cute together. Her golden boy brother hung on every one of Priya’s words. Her gorgeous dark skin flushed when she smiled at him. In some ways, they were as different as could be but they both had the academic bohemian thing down pat with their glasses and scarves. Geeks in love. Adorable.
They finished their meal. Chris rubbed his flat belly. “I feel like treating myself to dessert.”
“You always do,” teased Priya. “I’ve never known you to refuse anything sweet.”
Chris grinned, his eyes lit up with mischief.
Emily cut him off as he opened his mouth to speak. “Let’s change the topic. I’m already uncomfortable.”
“Fine,” he said. “Cheesecake all around?”
The women shook their heads, both of them groaning and full. While Chris tried to decide on which flavor of cheesecake he wanted to order, Priya leaned over and spoke to Emily in a lowered voice.
“Chris told me about your friend, Michael. You suspect PTSD?”
Emily nodded and told her about the tragedy Michael had witnessed.
“Sounds about right. And he’s resisted getting professional help?”
“So far. He said he visited a doctor…once. He doesn’t think he needs one. He thinks he should be able to shake it off.”
“That might work for gorgeous pop stars. Not so much in this case.”
“Why is that?”
“Memories are powerful, but traumatic memories even more so. Stifling them doesn’t help. Michael needs to learn to quietly contemplate what happened so those recollections don’t erupt from him like a ball of fire. The more he can face the memory of the trauma in a safe environment, the less power it will have over him.”
“I want to help him but I don’t know what to do. He says he just wants to forget everything happened.”
Priya reached for her hand and squeezed it. “It’s understandable. Many people suffer alone for years. Some never learn how to manage. Make no mistake, Emily. People like Michael do suffer. They re-experience those memories over and over, and in the heat of the moment, they’re unable to differentiate between real time and what happened in the past. Someone like Michael would live in a state of hypervigilance.”
“What does that mean?”
“Hypervigilance is common among soldiers. They are constantly on the lookout for danger. Even when the danger has subsided, they can’t shut off the warning signs. They see potential for disaster everywhere. They can’t sleep. They have nightmares. They might startle easily or have difficulty concentrating. Can you imagine how exhausting that must be?”
“But Michael isn’t a veteran. Would he experience all the same symptoms?”
“People can develop PTSD from so many traumatic situations. Michael may not have carried a gun for his job, but every day he fights a war inside his mind.”
“I wish he’d stayed in treatment before. It might have helped.”
“I can’t blame him for his skepticism. Even in the health-care community, there is precious little awareness about the disorder. The good news is it’s treatable. I realize I haven’t met Michael myself, but based on what you and Chris have told me, I think he would benefit from some cognitive therapy. Another option is group therapy. There are some amazing programs out there right now. I’d be happy to give Michael a referral. In fact, I know someone in the field who was an army doc. I think he would relate to him well.”
“Thank you, but he might resist. How do I encourage him?”
“Above all, be patient. There’s no quick fix for PTSD. Those who suffer from it often feel as if they’ve lost all control. Michael is likely seeking to gain some of that control back in handling it himself.”
“From what I’ve seen, he does like to take charge.”
“I’m sure he does. In the meantime, stay positive for him. Listen to him and encourage him to talk. It sounds as if he’s shared more with you than with anyone else so far. That’s a good sign.”
