I Come From a Long Line of Jewish Worriers. Then My Gut Gave Me Something Real to Worry About.

Kveller
Nov. 10, 2026

Vigilance helped previous generations of my family survive, but it was hurting me.

Some of my earliest memories are of panic attacks. When I was 3, my family often went browsing at Bonimart, a discount department store with a bubbly orange logo, but my heart pounded, terrified we’d be locked inside. At day camp, my extreme fear of water meant I was doggie-paddling dry on the concrete deck. In kindergarten, petrified of being abandoned, I suffered daily tummy cramps before dismissal as I imagined being stranded, alone, forever.