{"id":30078,"date":"2015-12-09T15:52:15","date_gmt":"2015-12-09T23:52:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?page_id=30078"},"modified":"2017-10-17T07:49:20","modified_gmt":"2017-10-17T14:49:20","slug":"resilience","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/resilience\/","title":{"rendered":"Resilience"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ManResilience<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0can be described as one’s\u00c2\u00a0ability to overcome adverse events. These events might\u00c2\u00a0include\u00c2\u00a0traumatic experiences, loss<\/a>, serious health problems, and other types of stress<\/a> that significantly impact health and well-being. Commonly demonstrated after trauma or distress, resiliency is generally considered to be an ordinary trait, able to be cultivated and developed by anyone.<\/p>\n

Resilience\u00c2\u00a0and Mental Health<\/h2>\n

A person who is resilient may be able to “bounce back” without significant difficulty\u00c2\u00a0after a trying\u00c2\u00a0situation. Resiliency does not mean, however, a person is unaffected by an event. Rather, resilience can\u00c2\u00a0allow\u00c2\u00a0a person to manage sadness<\/a> and emotional pain in a healthy way and may\u00c2\u00a0reduce the likelihood of one’s pain and sadness significantly impacting function and daily life.

\n\t

Find a Therapist<\/a><\/h2>\n\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\tAdvanced Search<\/a>\n\t<\/form>\n<\/div><\/p>\n

The concept of resilience is\u00c2\u00a0increasingly being studied by\u00c2\u00a0psychology and mental health researchers in order to better\u00c2\u00a0understand how individuals adapt under significant stress. Resilience is understood to be\u00c2\u00a0an interplay between an individual and the individual’s\u00c2\u00a0environment, and a resilient person is generally able to use internal and external protective factors to deal with environmental stressors. Internal protective factors include emotional intelligence<\/a>, problem-solving skills, and the\u00c2\u00a0ability to tolerate distress, while the primary external protective factor is the presence of a positive support system.<\/p>\n

Resilience, according to research, is not an uncommon trait. In the face of tragedy or trauma<\/a>, many people are able to call on their resources in order to overcome feelings of grief, anxiety<\/a>, and sadness. Neither is resilience a stable trait that a person has or lacks. Rather, it involves a combination of thoughts and behaviors typically able to be developed over time.<\/p>\n

Cultivating Resilience<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Resilience is a multi-dimensional concept; thus, there is more than one way to build resilience.\u00c2\u00a0A person can often develop and strengthen resilience by:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Identifying a support network. It is often\u00c2\u00a0even more important to have\u00c2\u00a0help from others during times of difficulty. A support network might include friends, family members, fellow survivors, and support groups.<\/li>\n
  2. Keeping things in perspective. Situations may seem worse or be more challenging to face particularly when one is already overwhelmed. It may be helpful to consider a broader context and to avoid catastrophizing. Recalling other times when\u00c2\u00a0circumstances were difficult may help people realize a current situation is\u00c2\u00a0not quite as bad as it\u00c2\u00a0seems. Remembering past challenges, and how they were addressed, may also strengthen one’s faith in one’s\u00c2\u00a0ability to cope.<\/li>\n
  3. Accepting change<\/a> as a part of life. Adverse situations may prevent\u00c2\u00a0some people from\u00c2\u00a0living the life they\u00c2\u00a0had imagined for themselves. Acknowledging a change in circumstances, rather than focusing on what\u00c2\u00a0could have been, may be a helpful step in the formulation of\u00c2\u00a0realistic plans for the future.<\/li>\n
  4. Remembering self-care<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0Acknowledging\u00c2\u00a0personal\u00c2\u00a0needs and feelings is believed to be an important step in cultivating resilience. Exercising regularly, allowing time for relaxation<\/a>, and getting plenty of rest can improve mental and physical well-being and\u00c2\u00a0help people become better able to\u00c2\u00a0handle difficult situations.<\/li>\n
  5. Maintaining hope<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0The ability to remain optimistic can be an\u00c2\u00a0important component of resilience. Rather than allowing one negative event to completely change one’s\u00c2\u00a0outlook, it may be helpful to remember there are still good times to come. Sometimes the most tragic events can bring out compassion<\/a> and courageousness. Focusing on those aspects of a situation\u00c2\u00a0may help shift some focus away from the negative aspects of the situation and allow hope to flourish.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Resilience Training<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    In recent years, the United States\u00c2\u00a0military, specifically the Army, has\u00c2\u00a0placed increasing importance on resilience training<\/a>. The Army’s Ready and Resilient Campaign includes a number of resilience training programs for soldiers, their family members, and Army civilians. These\u00c2\u00a0training programs aim to teach and promote tools for dealing with adverse events in order to create more positive outcomes before, during, and after military service. The benefits of this training have been shown to include improved performance by soldiers and improved relationships among soldiers and between soldiers and their family members as well as increased physical and mental well-being.<\/p>\n

    Resilience training has also become increasingly popular in the workplace<\/a>. Many organizations have found this type of training to be beneficial in a number of ways. Those who participate in resilience training may:<\/p>\n