“My mother wasn’t the best person in the world. She was hooked...

“My mother wasn’t the best person in the world.  She was hooked on heroin for most of my life.  She sold our childhood home for drug money.  She left me alone to raise my brother and disabled nephew.  I used to wake up every night to feed him and change his diapers.  I supported us all on the $5.15 an hour that I earned from the grocery store.  My mother passed away a few months ago, and I think I’m just now coming to terms with how awful she made my life.  This is the most stable I’ve ever been.  I have a permanent address.  I have someone who legitimately loves me.  But my anxiety has never been worse.  I’ve been having panic attacks recently.  I think I’ve never had to deal with the trauma because things were always coming at me.  And now I’m not sure how to handle the quiet.”