Experiences of trauma should not only consist of negative outcomes, but should provide the victim with new perceptions that can result in intensely positive changes regarding personal growth and healing. A traumatic experience should be seen as catalyst for the development of deeper meaning and personal growth in one’s life. Consider the following post trauma:
1. I changed my priorities about what is important in life.
2. I have a greater appreciation for the value of my own life.
3. I am able to do better things with my life.
4. I have a better understanding of spiritual matters.
5. I have a greater sense of closeness with others.
6. I established a new path for my life.
7. I know better that I can handle difficulties.
8. I have a stronger religious faith.
9. I discovered that I’m stronger than I thought I was.
10. I learned a great deal about how wonderful people are.
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About the author
Hello VOCCS,
Thanks for writing about posttraumatic growth. I think it is an important topic that deserves much more attention; first of all to study how these feelings of growth emerge and can be facilitated, and second to put these findings into practice.
In my view, it is important to make clear that survivors may not feel any growth/positive feelings due to the trauma, and that that is perfectly fine. A traumatic event is first and foremost a shockingly negative event. Only a part of the survivors has this experience of ‘finding benefits’, and experiencing growth isn’t necessarily the same as recovering well (several studies showed that posttraumatic stress and growth are associated).
Experiencing a positive side to a traumatic event can be very powerful but it can also be present in small things. For example, some children in studies we conducted after traumatic injury told us that they were glad they had been in a super cool ambulance with sirens.
best wishes,
Eva Alisic
Monash Injury Research Institute