Post-traumatic growth: Why some become stronger after trauma
Not everyone is broken by trauma. Some find in what they've been through a source of profound change. What is post-traumatic growth and how does it work?
«Я бы не хотел, чтобы это случилось. Но это изменило меня так, как не изменило бы ничто другое». Эту фразу произносят люди, которые прошли через тяжёлый опыт и обнаружили по ту сторону что-то, чего не было до.
Это и есть посттравматический рост.
1. What is Post-Traumatic Growth
Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) refers to positive psychological changes that occur as a result of struggling with highly challenging life experiences. The concept was systematically studied by Tedeschi and Calhoun in the 1990s.
Important: PTG is not the absence of suffering. Often, those who report the greatest growth also report the greatest distress. Growth occurs ALONGSIDE suffering, not instead of it.
2. Five Dimensions of Post-Traumatic Growth
- New Possibilities: discovering paths that would not have been available without the traumatic experience
- Relationships with Others: deepening and re-evaluating connections with people
- Personal Strength: "I am stronger than I thought"
- Spiritual Change: re-evaluation of meaning and core beliefs about life
- Appreciation of Life: a heightened sense of the value of every moment
3. What Contributes to PTG
According to research, PTG is more likely to occur with:
- Social support (especially the opportunity to talk about the experience)
- Narrative processing — making sense of what happened
- Cognitive processing of beliefs about the world and oneself
- Professional help
4. PTG — Not a "Silver Lining"
It's important not to use the concept of PTG to minimize pain: "oh well, at least you'll grow from it." This invalidates the experience. PTG is a description of what can happen, not a prescription or an expectation.
Talk to our AI psychologist psybot.app. Read also: What is Psychological Trauma.