This week, we learned about the steps someone goes through after they experience trauma, and how Eicha is not only about the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash,but about anyone who has faced trauma.
The steps are shock, sadness, anger, blame, and then either depression or re-evaluation of life.
It is made clear in Eicha, that Yerushaliam has no one to comfort her and help her, but what if someone goes through tragedy, who does have someone comforting them.
If someone has someone to support them, like a friend or family member, after tragedy occurs than will they be able to skip some of these steps of moving on? Or will they at least be able to speed up the process? And if so, how can Eicha be about anyone in the post-trauma stage?
Yehudit,
ReplyDeleteYou posed a very thoughtful question. To be honest, I feel like everyone copes with trauma in a different way. I'm not sure if the stages are even discreet, or if you can skirt around some and be "implanted" or "stuck" in others. Yerushalayim seems to ache for comfort, so maybe it would be more beneficial to her if she had someone to guide her through the grief that follows trauma. The sefer seems to follow her journey through the steps, so I am interested to see what occurs in the next perakim.
I agree with Noga- I think that in general people don't go through every single step. Also, even they did have support from others, it might not do anything at all. Everyone is different, so perhaps support will help one while not another. I think a part of what makes the destruction so hard on Yerushalayim is that she has no one to comfort her, so she is probably one who needs support after a traumatic experience.
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