Researchers are studying this posttraumatic growth—positive changes people experience after struggling with a major life crisis or traumatic event.
We all deal with everyday stresses and difficult times. But what about people who experience severe trauma? In most cases, people exposed to traumatic events do not develop psychiatric disorders. However, most will experience feelings of grief, anxiety, anger, and other negative emotions. During this process, some people discover positive changes in their lives or within themselves. Posttraumatic growth is common, but not universal. Just because people show personal growth in adversity doesn’t mean they will not suffer. In many cases, suffering and growth can coexist.
Psychologists Richard G. Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun have found in many cases that reports of growth after traumatic events far outnumber the reports of disorders.
They have identified reports of posttraumatic growth in a variety of serious traumas, including people who have experienced bereavement, life-threatening or life-changing illness, serious medical problems of their children, transportation accidents, house fires, sexual assault and sexual abuse, combat, refugee experiences, and being taken hostage
They describe five areas of growth reported by people who have experienced these and other traumatic events:
- Discovery of new opportunities and possibilities that were not present before
- Closer relationships with others, especially others who suffer
- Greater appreciation for life
- Greater sense of personal strength: “If I lived through that, I can face anything”
- Spiritual growth
Researchers are careful to remind us that growth comes from the struggle to cope with the trauma—not from the event itself.
Trauma is not necessary for growth, and researchers do not suggest that traumatic events themselves or suffering are in any way good. They are observing the positive effects of coping with trauma. It is important to allow people enough time to adapt to the aftermath of the trauma, and in the meantime to avoid trite comments about suffering and growth.