Unforgettable Trauma

          While I have never met anyone who experienced such trauma as the woman in this story, I have met people who have experienced classical conditioning in a less severe sense.  I work at Geiger's Ski and Sport Haus and one day a lady came in and was searching around our store.  I approached her, as I do all customers, inquiring whether or not she needed assistance and she jumped, as if I had scared her.  Without further questions the lady went into her story, relaying that she was recently mugged in Tremont while walking to her car; the guy even held a gun to her head.  I found this account both very intriguing and sad, as an experience this lady endured had caused her further fear in her every day life.  This situation correlates to classical conditioning in the sense that her self-defense and awareness altered due to a past trauma.  In other words, the lady exemplified very nervous behaviors, which evolved from an event in her life.  Ever since the event, she has become more aware of her surroundings, hence conditioning herself to be safer in her every day life.  Her personality, though I did not know her before, may have also changed as the trust for the people around her lowered significantly.