In the books Prince of Tides and The Sweet Hereafter, a traumatic event occurs and results in the contracting of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the main characters.

As an individual walks through the winding path of life, he will encounter many bridges that must be crossed; it is these experiences that forever shape his existence. What waits for him on the other side of these bridges he does not know. What waits on the other is unpredictable, depending on how he has crossed other bridges in the past. Some experiences can be good and some horrible. The reactions to these experiences can be extremely demanding for some. "Good" experiences usually result in a pleasant effect, but bad or horrible experience has more erratic effects that are potentially…