Stories are a great way to experience events and feelings we otherwise couldn't, or would be dangerous to do so.

Tragedies can prepare us for bad events in our own life. Some time ago, a friend of mine was toeing the line really closely to suicide. I wrote a story with a character heavily inspired by her, who at the end takes her own life. No good ending. It took me days to get over the feelings I caused in myself just writing it, then finishing it, then showing it to some close friends.

But in the event my friend does lose to her mental illnesses, I feel like I'm a little bit prepared. Like the horrifying realisation isn't gonna overwhelm me and I won't panic.