Making changes through trauma seems completely contrary to our common sense, because people often think that trauma will only bring a devastating blow to people, but in fact most people may find positive changes in themselves after a crisis. . Some researchers have found that, regardless of age, about 30% to 90% of individuals who experience trauma will more or less get some positive changes from the trauma. Post-traumatic psychological pressure and post-traumatic growth can coexist, and post-traumatic psychological pressure seems to be the engine of post-traumatic growth.
The positive meaning of trauma
It is unavoidable that a considerable number of people will develop post-traumatic stress disorder. For them, the path of trauma is more tortuous: they are often entangled with intrusive memories, become emotionally numb, make avoidant behaviors, cannot concentrate, cannot maintain clear and coherent thinking, and they hardly dare to imagine In the future, let alone grow up after trauma. However, as long as the obstacles leading to the growth of trauma are cleared, all subsequent changes will naturally grow under people’s inner motivation.
It is a common tendency for people to pursue meaning after trauma. The key to post-traumatic growth is to discover the meaning of tragic events and benefit from it. Various research results show that there are hundreds of forms of trauma, crisis and tragedy, but the main meaning can be divided into three categories: The first advantage is that once we can stand up to the challenges of life, we can stimulate Our original hidden abilities, and these abilities will change our original concept of self; the second advantage is that it can strengthen our interpersonal relationships, and people who have suffered trauma are no longer so snobbish in dealing with interpersonal relationships. Again, only seek self-interest and be strong everywhere; the third advantage is that trauma will change the priority of life and the current view of others, so that you can live your daily life to the full.
This epidemic is undoubtedly a common disaster for mankind. In the process of overcoming it, people also revealed the glory of humanity that they usually hide. We have improved the relationship between neighbors and friends, and we also have a new understanding of ourselves, have some deeper insights, or discover certain advantages in our character, and be more compassionate, and these are all things that we have not experienced in the past. Advantages; there may be some changes in spiritual beliefs, or some other spiritual changes; we can more deeply understand some of the beautiful details in daily life, pay more attention to family and companionship, which is also to accept reality and start a new life An important step in the
The key to post-traumatic growth
Anyone can grow after trauma. Studies have shown that the individual’s personality traits, the social support they can obtain after the trauma, and the coping strategies adopted when dealing with the trauma, will all have varying degrees of impact on the individual’s post-traumatic growth. In fact, the key to growth after trauma does not lie in the optimism itself, but optimistic people can easily find out the meaning of events. If we can find a set of methods to interpret the meaning of trauma to us personally, and from it We can all benefit from a positive experience.
Psychologist Professor James Pennebeck began to study the therapeutic effects of emotional expression in the late 1970s. After discovering that pouring out his heart is related to the victim’s health, Pennebeck devised a set of scientific procedures to allow People tell their secrets to improve their physical health. Pennabeck asked the subjects to write “the most unpleasant or painful experience in their lives”, preferably things that the subjects never told others in their lives, and the more detailed the better. Pennabeck sent a lot of blank paper to the subjects and asked them to write for 15 minutes at a time for 4 consecutive days. For the other group of participants, they were asked to spend the same 15 minutes writing, but on different topics, such as talking about their house and working days. When conducting experimental research, Pennebeck will obtain the consent of the subjects and obtain their medical records at some time in the future. One year later, Pennebeck began to observe the frequency of illnesses of the two groups of subjects, and found that the number of visits to the doctor or hospital in the second year of the subjects who wrote about their traumatic experience decreased.
Countless facts tell us that traumatic experience is harmful to people-but the real turning point is that only when people deliberately conceal trauma, it will become a poison that harms health. After a lot of research and investigation, Pennebeck proposed a 15-minute emotional diary: expressive writing. Pennebeck recommends that we continue to write for 15 minutes a day, for several days, do not rewrite the content, do not self-check, let alone whether the grammar or sentence structure is correct, just let it go and write. Write down what happened, how you felt, and why you felt like this. The key point is to express your thoughts and feelings. At the same time, if you can use a lot of positive words in your writing, such as “love”, “happy”, “caring”, “good”, etc., the effect may be better. Studies have shown that for people who have received psychological help from expressive writing, the ratio of positive words to negative words used by them is around 3:1. Expressive writing exercises can help us look at problems from a new perspective, establish new connections between things, and discover new meanings.
Coping strategies for trauma
There are two main obstacles on the road to psychological rehabilitation, one is the lack of social support, and the other is the destiny turning point after trauma. If we can get enough company and support from relatives, friends or professionals, we can grow more from trauma. Therefore, learn to build and cherish your own social support network. As long as one or two good close relationships can help us face the threats and challenges in life, if there are trusted friends who are willing to listen, it can help us sort out and find The meaning of the event. In addition, the American Psychological Association also provides some effective coping strategies for people experiencing adversity, including:
◎ Don’t treat the crisis as something that cannot be resolved or controlled
◎ Accept change, because it is an inevitable part of life
◎ Moving towards the goal
◎ Make up your mind and take action
◎ Look for opportunities and discover yourself
◎ Cultivate a positive view of yourself
◎ Learn from the past
◎ Maintain hope for the future
◎ Take care of yourself
We are injured in growing up, but also growing up in pain. Although not everyone is lucky enough to be in control of their own destiny, everyone has the freedom to choose which posture to face their destiny.