Life can be unpredictable. There are times when things happen that rock us to the very foundations of our souls and leave a lasting impact on our minds and hearts. Life can bring about trauma, and it can scar one’s soul. But the human brain is amazing in its ability to adjust, and even expand, when challenged. This phenomenon, termed Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG), is fascinating and remarkable and deserves closer examination.
Understanding Trauma and PTSD
Trauma is an emotional reaction to a distressing event. This may include an accident, the death of a family member, or witnessing violence. The impact that trauma can have on a person’s feelings and actions is tremendous. And for some, that means Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which is a mental health condition in people who experienced or witnessed a traumatic event.
PTSD symptoms can be severe and intrusive, such as flashbacks, nightmares, and extreme anxiety that lasts over a month after the event. The emotional aftermath of these symptoms can make the affected person feel helpless, terrified, and isolated. To deal with others, people with PTSD can feel numb or distant. They can have trouble relating to or bonding with family and friends, leaving them stuck in isolation and pain.
What is Post-Traumatic Growth?
Although trauma can produce distressing outcomes in some people, it may result in positive changes. This is what’s known as Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG). PTG is a term for the potential growth that might result from traumatic experiences. They might gain new perspectives on life, deepen their commitment to another person, or find the strength that had eluded them. The secret of PTG is to acknowledge that growth does not equate to forgetting or making light of what happened. Instead, it entails incorporating the traumatic experience into one’s life in a way that promotes growth and strength. For others, this integration can open doors to new possibilities and revelations, using the pain as a springboard toward positive transformation.
Understanding PTG also requires recognizing that it is not a one-size-fits-all experience. Some people’s experience of trauma is different, and the way they navigate and interpret experiences post-trauma can be pretty eclectic. Some may find they have greater freedom to tackle new projects or pursue dreams they had previously deemed impossible. Still others may find themselves with increased compassion for those who are suffering and might look to their own experiences to help those who seek assistance. When they participate in supportive communities or share their stories, deep connections can form that help not only themselves but also others heal.
Resilience vs. Growth
We often confuse resilience and growth, but they are very different. Resilience usually connotes bouncing back from adversity and returning to a baseline state of normal. It is an important psychological dimension that represents the capacity to cope with stress and quickly return to a normal state. However, PTG signifies something deeper. It is about becoming a new, stronger you after adversity.
Someone resilient may recover emotionally and learn to live with their past. Someone who can be said to have experienced PTG, on the other hand, comes out with a new perspective or outlook on life by redrawing their belief, priorities, and relationships in the face of trauma.
Balancing Emotional Distress and Constructive Action
In such moments, the idea of allowing ourselves to get in touch with darkness can be tempting. But those feelings must be tempered with positive, constructive actions that will stimulate growth. It enables people to process how they feel when the pain is recognized. But doing the work of healing — such as setting goals, finding support, and tending to yourself — helps the person grow. It is in taking these intentional steps that individuals can transform their pain into purpose.
The Role of “Shattered Schema”
A vital idea that explains PTG is the shattered schema (or more specifically, shattered assumptions). This involves annihilating the core beliefs that define how people view themselves and their world. Trauma may defy these fundamental assumptions and prompt a reconsideration of life’s purpose.
For example, if a person held the belief that the world is a safe place, a traumatic event might shatter that belief. This can create much confusion. But as we shake off our old beliefs and let new ones take their place, a new view of stability appears. They could then be used to pursue more positive relationships, greater empathy for others, and a deeper enjoyment of life.
The Five Pillars of Post-Traumatic Growth
Five main aspects of growth are understood to develop after trauma, which have been called the Five Pillars of Post-Traumatic Growth:
New Possibilities in Life: Trauma can open new possibilities. Others will find new passions, objectives, and ways to do things — or take paths they’d never thought about. For example, a person who faced a near-death health problem may choose to become an advocate for public health.
Stronger Relationships: Some people feel that after the trauma, their relationships change. They may deepen friendships or separate from toxic friends. The trauma may make them seek help or spend time with loved ones.
Personal Strength: Attaining success through trauma commonly develops a belief in one’s strength or enhanced personal confidence. Individuals now realize they can survive what seemed impossible earlier. This developed strength offers them the hope that they will be empowered to tackle other issues and difficulties in their lives.
Appreciation of Life: People often emerge from a severe trauma with a heightened appreciation of life and a greater sense of its value. People can also enjoy the ordinary and cherish connections in life and work to live more joyfully.
Existential or Spiritual Change: Trauma can also make someone question the meaning of life. Some people may turn spiritual or re-evaluate their priorities and values. In this sense, it may give them more insight into themselves and the role they fulfill in the world.
The Role of Professional Support
Recovering from trauma often requires professional help, but thriving after trauma does, too. Arbor Wellness in Las Vegas changes the way we treat patients by providing trauma-informed care. Trauma-informed care is based on the high incidence of trauma in the general population.
At Arbor Wellness, therapists help people whose pain and trauma have overwhelmed their ability to cope. Treatment includes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness techniques. This integrative perspective acknowledges that trauma is highly complex and individual.
Trauma can be a life-changing experience with big blows. PTSD symptoms and the emotional aftermath can interfere with everyday life in a significant way. But with an understanding of Post-Traumatic Growth, we can recognize that people also have the potential to heal—and grow in new ways. A balance of respect for emotional pain and a constructive response is required.
Shattered Schema and the 5 Pillars of Post-Traumatic Growth convey the path of resilience that many survivors travel. Supported by professionals like those at Arbor Wellness, people discover their inner strengths and begin a new way of thinking about life itself.
Looking ahead, we need to keep cultivating the kind of settings that encourage mental health literacy, good trauma care, and knowledge that post-traumatic growth is in fact an option. In this way, we support survivors in their journey from brokenness to survivor hood and shine a hopeful path forward.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-traumatic_stress_disorder
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-traumatic_growth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shattered_assumptions_theory
https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma#
https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience
https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience/building-your-resilience#
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/11/growth-trauma
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/11/growth-trauma
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-path-passionate-happiness/201606/how-trauma-can-lead-positive-change
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/trauma#
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/when-kids-call-the-shots/202206/how-to-transform-your-pain-into-something-beautiful
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9807114/
https://hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/nightmares-brain
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-post-traumatic-growth-7068975
https://www.healthline.com/health/toxic-friendships
