Trauma Can Affect Some People’s Perception in Life, Sometimes for the Better

Traumatic experiences are very common for humans. Experiencing a daunting event for someone can occur due to several things such as violence, evaporation, or natural disasters. People who have experienced it see it as a very detrimental or life-threatening event.

Post-traumatic growth is a positive psychological change that can occur in response to a traumatic event. Younger people are more likely to experience it. Some of the following things can make a person more likely to experience post-traumatic growth.

Strong social support

Social support from family, friends, and people around you can promote post-traumatic growth. Receiving social support can be very helpful for reaching out to people who have experienced similar traumas such as through support groups. Some treatment interventions even focus on using social networks to assist trauma recovery.

Coping skills

Coping strategies like acceptance, humor, and focus more on the future can be effective ways to help reduce our distress after trauma. It can also make us heal and find positive aspects in our experiences. People who experience post-traumatic growth often say they feel better prepared to deal with future stress.

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Personality traits

People who tend to be optimistic are more likely to experience post-traumatic growth because optimistic people can find some positive aspects of their experiences. However, this can be difficult given that dreadful experiences often involve pain, loss, and suffering. By finding meaning and purpose in these experiences through sharing their stories with others, you can see a new perspective on yourself.

Religion or spirituality

Religions often teach that strength can come from experiencing suffering. Several studies reveal that religious people often experience post-traumatic growth because they have a greater sense of community and even higher meaning behind adversity.

Post-traumatic growth is an ongoing process because trauma can affect people in many ways. Sometimes healing from trauma can also be linked to other factors beyond a person’s control such as socioeconomic status or resources.

Source: The Indian Express, The Conversation