Post Traumatic Growth

“Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before, how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever.” ~ Isak Dinesen

Are there benefits to extreme stress? Is there something to be said for challenges and hardships? I do not believe that you have to live through hardships in order to gain wisdom and an appreciation for life, but given the fact that we will all face a multitude of stressors and challenges during the course of a lifetime, being open to the possibilities present in the difficulties can be useful and life changing. Many of the events people experience are beyond words or explanation and there is little comfort or even purpose in looking for the reasons that a calamity has occurred. I am not a proponent of finding the good in the bad situation; instead it is about finding yourself and using it as an opportunity to check your perspective, change your life and embrace the moment.

“Adversity introduces a man to himself.” ~Author Unknown

POST TRAUMATIC GROWTH

You may be familiar with the term, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD? It is the stress disorder classified as anxiety, which develops after exposure to a psychologically traumatic event. As a society we have studied how people cope with extreme stressors: illness, death of a loved one, serious injury, war, financial destruction and natural disasters. These of course, produce heightened stress and can leave a person, even months or years later, suffering with headaches, nightmares, panic attacks, insomnia and so on. It was not until 1995 that Dr. Richard Tedeschi and Dr. Lawrence Calhoun coined the term, Post Traumatic Growth or PTG whereby describing a relatively unexamined phenomenon; an individual, as a result of a traumatic event, actually experiences amazing personal growth. This tendency to grow from, reevaluate and modify life in a profound and powerful way as a result of trauma, is more common than we may think and has been a source of inspiration to many of us, whether in movies, books or even our personal lives.

NEW LEASE ON LIFE

What is most fascinating to me about people who have survived trauma and moved on to growth is that the very things that people who are dying have expressed as regrets, is what becomes the focal point for PTG survivors. There is a dramatic shift in priorities. 1. They do what makes them happy – no fear. 2. They feel more connected to their friends and family. 3. They know who they are and understand themselves more fully. 4. They have a new sense of meaning and purpose and make time for what brings them joy. 5. They are committed to their goals and dreams. People who make the leap from trauma to triumph have an emotional, physical, mental and social resilience. They take care, nurture and rely on positive elements in each area in order to create meaning, stay present and embrace life with grace and ease and often, more passion than they had previously.

“The art of living lies less in eliminating our troubles than in growing with them.” ~Bernard M. Baruch

WHAT IS IMPORTANT?

So, there may be benefits to extreme stress, such as a deepening of your relationships, as urgent events can highlight who your real friends are and remind you to be truly grateful for the people in your life. You become aware of your resiliency as you see that you are able to weather a huge storm and come out the other side. This can serve you well in moving forward as you are more likely to take risks because you have greater trust in yourself. Last, but not least, things are put into perspective – what really matters, where to expend your energy and how you want to live your life. You may have or may be going through difficult times and have experienced PTG. May you find inspiration in those who have gone before you and have, through their trauma, re-discovered the magnificence of who they are and of life itself. It is important to note here, that PTG is not about being positive or simply making lemonade from lemons or any such cliché. The story of PTG survivors includes depression and anger and regret and many of the emotions and reactions that could be expected out of trauma. The distinction is the moments and decisions that moves a person from coping to creating and ultimately the purpose they begin to bring to each day.

"Real pain can alone cure us of imaginary ills. We feel a thousand miseries till we are lucky enough to feel misery." ~Samuel Taylor Coleridge

For those of you in a period of more peace and calm my encouragement is that you take this opportunity to grow your life in the absence of trauma and strife; that you boost your reserves and create a foundation of well-being in all the facets relied upon every day and most certainly during difficulty – physical, emotional, mental and social. That you begin now, to notice the small things, express gratitude, develop your relationships and examine your perspectives. Do not wait for a difficult event to awaken you to the blessings in each day, the opportunities, connections and beauty present here and now. What would you do today if you knew this is the best time of your life and that the choice is always yours?