A Proverb On Trauma

The one bitten by a snake is afraid of a black and white string.

Regional Oral Tradition

Fear is a slippery thing. Harmless situations can trigger overpowering responses of fear and anxiety if the mind and body connect them to past experiences. This proverb gets at the background of one who seems unnecessarily afraid of something. In the Middle East and Central Asia, nearly everyone is carrying around some kind of deep pain and trauma. Suspicion, fear, and anxiety then are to be expected.

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