Post-traumatic growth
Post-traumatic growth is an increase in psychological well-being following a traumatic event. Post-traumatic growth can occur as a result of both positive and negative life events. There are five main ways people experience positive change after adversity: increased appreciation for life, increased sense of personal strength, greater spiritual connection and meaning, more satisfying relationships with others, and seeing the world as a more benevolent place in which to live.
Post-traumatic growth is an increase in psychological well-being following a traumatic event.
Post-traumatic growth is an increase in psychological well-being following a traumatic event. It is not the same as resilience, which refers to an individual's ability to adapt following trauma.
Post-traumatic growth has been defined as "positive change experienced as a result of suffering an adversity" and may include:
Increased appreciation for life or living things
New learning about self (e.g., values) or others (e.g., relationships)
The term was first introduced by Tedeschi and Calhoun (1995), who defined it as positive changes that occur after experiencing one or more traumatic events.
There are five main ways people experience positive change after adversity:
increased appreciation for life,
increased sense of personal strength,
greater spiritual connection and meaning,
more satisfying relationships with others,
and seeing the world as a more benevolent place in which to live.
There are five main ways people experience positive change after adversity: increased appreciation for life, increased sense of personal strength, greater spiritual connection and meaning, more satisfying relationships with others, and seeing the world as a more benevolent place in which to live.
1. Increased Appreciation for Life When we experience a tragedy or a difficult situation, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by it all. We may feel that life isn’t worth living anymore because of the pain and suffering we’re experiencing. But when you look at others who are going through similar situations, you can see how they still find joy in the small things in life.
They continue to appreciate and enjoy the simple pleasures, like a walk in nature or watching their children play. They don’t let their pain get in the way of being happy. This can help you learn to see life through a different lens, where happiness is something that doesn’t require much effort but just happens naturally when you appreciate everything around you.
2. Increased Sense of Personal Strength When we face a tragedy, we have options of how we proceed and make sense of what occurred: one option, that often requires support from others, is to rise above what occurred and learn from the experience. Those who choose the latter tend to become stronger individuals as a result. They don’t allow their circumstances to define them; instead they take control of their lives and decide how they want things to be.
This is a powerful lesson to learn. When we face adversity, it can be easy to feel helpless or as if there’s nothing we can do about our situation. But when we take control of our lives and make the difficult decisions that will lead us down a more positive path, it makes us stronger individuals who have learned how to overcome any challenge thrown their way.
3. Increased Sense of Purpose When we lose something or someone important to us, it can be difficult to find meaning in life again. We might feel as if our days are just filled with meaningless tasks that don’t really matter. But when we learn how to find purpose in what we do each day, it can give our lives new meaning and direction.
This sense of purpose can come in many forms, from our careers to our hobbies or even just the small things we do for others each day. When we make a conscious effort to find meaning in what we do, it helps us feel as though our lives have a greater purpose.
4. Increased Self-Confidence When we face challenges in life, it can be easy to lose all confidence in ourselves. We might feel as if we’re not good enough or that others are better than us at certain things. But when we learn how to overcome these challenges, it increases our self-confidence and helps us feel more secure about who we are as individuals.
5. Improved Relationships When we overcome challenges, it can also improve our relationships with others around us. When we show others that we’re not afraid of failure and can handle whatever life throws at us, it shows them that they can too!
6. Greater Focus on What’s Important When we face challenges in life, it can be easy to get sidetracked by all the little things that seem so important at the time. But when we learn how to overcome these challenges and reach our goals, it helps us realize what really matters most in life.
It's important to remember that post-traumatic growth can be a positive experience, but it doesn't mean that you won't have negative feelings. In fact, you may feel both at the same time! Nevertheless, if you find yourself stuck in a rut of negative emotions or feeling stuck in your life after an event like this one--and there are many ways to get out of these ruts--then please reach out for help. There are many resources available, whether through friends and family or professional therapists who specialize in trauma recovery.