PTG - Part 2

Most all of us are familiar with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).  People living with this diagnosis are overwhelmed with symptoms of deep depression, anxiety, flashbacks, and fear.  It is sad to see in anyone potentially debilitating this diagnosis can be.  I know one person who was so overwhelmed that she could not leave the safety of her home for a six month period and reported panic attacks that seemed to last for hours.

We often see this disorder in veterans of our military and police services.  It is truly tragic to see a previously fearless soldier overwhelmed with fear and having little self-esteem.  But, there are many veterans who experienced the same experiences but do not have the disorder.  It turns out that there is another possible outcome for people who experience trauma and that is PTG (Post-Traumatic Growth).

Post-Traumatic Growth is positive psychological change experienced as a result of adversity and rising to a higher level of functioning.  A traumatic event occurs and as a result of coping mechanisms used results in returning to life better than before.  It causes a shift of thinking and relating to the rest of the world that motivates one to a personal change that is deeply meaningful.  It also results in decreased reactivity to ordinary life stress.

We have two contemporary examples in our history.  Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison isolation, largely for his beliefs and not real crimes.  Prior to going to prison, Mandela was a left-wing extremist and didn't think much of consequences and was prepared to pay the price for his beliefs.  He more than paid the price.  Being imprisoned for almost three decades seems overwhelming and not being able to communicate with loved ones would be unbearable.  One would think Mandela would become bitter, angry, or depressed.  Instead, Mandela came out filled with peace and passion.  He rose to become leader of South Africa and won the Nobel Peace Prize.  He spend his years out of prison living life to the fullest and serving his Nation.  His only fault was that he may have chosen the wrong woman to love.

The second example is Senator John McCain.  McCain was politely described as a maverick in his early adult years.  When he joined the military, he had trouble dealing with authority and had frequent conflicts.  He spent 7 years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.  He was tortured repeatedly and still sustains many physical difficulties as a result of his time as a POW.  Following release, he has chosen to serve his country politically ever since.  He is highly regarded as a true American hero by both sides of the political spectrum.  He is still called a maverick, but not in reference to the times that he spoke out against his party or party leadership for what he feels is the right thing to do.  Many times he has been at the center of bi-partisan compromises. His only fault seems to be that he chose the wrong woman to be his Vice-Presidential candidate when he ran for President.

So, what causes some people to have PTSD and others to have PTG.  Some people suggest that it has to do with emotional resiliency, experience with adversity, defusing or debriefing stress when it happens, or just plain the flip of a coin.

One thing that we know for sure is that everyone will experience strife in their life.  Everybody, regardless of socio-economic status, race, gender, sexual orientation or any other sorting criteria, has problems.  If we think someone has a perfect life, we would be wrong.  I don't hope a traumatic experience on anyone, however, we all know people who seem to have "grown up" or "matured" after experiencing a personal crisis.

For the most part, we don't get to chose if we have PTSD or PTG.  People who experience PTG will obviously go on positively.  People who experience PTSD have life-long difficulties.  However, there is hope.  With more research going into PTG, we are better able to understand treatment strategies that may aid people with PTSD.  Hope is huge.  It is something to hang on to, and it may be a light at the very end of a very long dark tunnel, but, there is hope.