Post-Traumatic Growth. Is it a thing?
Post-traumatic growth is generally defined as “positive” changes that occur as a result of hardship. The ancient Greeks had a saying, “All great wisdom comes from suffering.” In an attempt to better understand how painful events can lead to personal growth, resilience researchers have attempted to answer the question: Can traumatic events lead to positive outcomes?
Areas of post traumatic growth are categorized along five domains. They are:
personal strength,
new possibilities,
improved relationships,
appreciation for life, and
spiritual growth.
The consensus, based on current research, suggests that traumatic events can be catalysts for post-traumatic growth, but not always. There are many reasons for this. Environment, personal coping, cultural influences, beliefs, the nature of the loss/trauma, and personality can shape our responses.
For many of us, the path through the pain is the most difficult journey of our lives. And there may times when we struggle to keep going. Labels, diagnoses, and others’ expectations can leave us feeling alienated and judged. If we are not seeing “positive growth” we can feel discouraged (like we’re doing it wrong).
But in reality, some experiences live outside the dichotomy of positive or negative and are not easily categorized. The ongoing impact may be understood more fully as we move through life. And while we may have a need to create meaning and learn from our experiences, answers may be difficult to find. An awareness of the randomness and inherit uncertainty of life can lead to even more questions.
It might be helpful to think about post-traumatic growth as something that potentially exists parallel to the hard, difficult reality of grief and trauma (rather than something that replaces the pain). Sometimes we are unaware of the changes that have taken place. If you are interested in learning more about post-traumatic growth, this personal inventory can be helpful.
In time you may notice little sprouts of growth emerging from places you never imagined. But, the changes will be unique to you.
