How Asian restaurants helped me heal after a hate-crime attack Oranicha Jumreornvong Tom yum soup from Aunty Su. (Suwannee Sangkharat) Three nights after I was assaulted, I was still haunted. I dreamed of pacing toward the hospital where I work as a medical student. I dreamed of the man’s words, “Chinese virus,” as he kicked and dragged me, and I dreamed of the bystanders’ uncaring gaze. I had studied these symptoms in others: hypervigilance, avoidance of associated stimuli, intrusive reexperiences and distress. My psychiatrist eventually diagnosed me with acute stress disorder, a precursor to PTSD that lasts from three days to a month after experiencing a life-threatening situation. As with many victims of anti-Asian assault, not all my wounds were visible. Comfort and connection: Asian chefs and celebrities share how food can draw us closer and divide us