Lived Experience Forum

[Adge]

Oh @Phoenix_Rising I definitely had prolonged developmental trauma.

I'm sure I'm still showing some signs of PTG though...

Adge

[Former-Member]

I think in lots of ways its important for us to know and value our subjective analysis of what we each feel or believe to be the post traumatic growth that we have, as that is more useful to our individual recovery... even if positive points of growth or change is attributable to many sources (age and learning, therapy and developing our narrative etc..) Just acknowledging that there are positives and growth is probably powerful...

[Former-Member]

Have a couple of thoughts:

Sometimes it's said that 'when they've had something traumatic happen to them, then they'll understand what you're going through', so there must be some inherently understood influence on empathy or understanding that is expected as an outcome of bad experiences. 

Also, sometimes it's easier to talk to someone who has suffered/ experienced something similar to ourselves, which, in turn, suggests there's an expectation of some sort of increase (growth) in understanding/ empathy. 

Or do I have this wrong? 

[suzanne]

@BlueBay I think it's important to note that PTG does not happen in the immediate aftermath.  Or in the immediate aftermath of the recovery or telling of the trauma.

The very nature of a traumatic event means that we are inevitably knocked off our feet in every sense. We struggle to simply survive and so growth isn’t on anyone’s agenda. But it seems as if, gradually and over time, the struggle itself can become the impetus for growth.

It's kind of abstract, but the researchers like to talk about the re-thinking of everything we thought we knew as the basis for growth.  Working out who you are now, what your life now is, who everyone else now is, what on earth it's all about - somewhere in that process the growth appears.

Does that makes sense to anyone?  

[CheerBear]

It's those "brighter moments" when it's easier to see/believe in some of this stuff I think @Phoenix_Rising.

And I think that ties in a little with what you're touching on @BlueBay. Those brighter moments can seem so hard to have or find when trauma is still occurring maybe.

[Phoenix_Rising]

@suzanne yeah I was reading this just before topic Tuesday started and I have to say the whole concept of PTG sounds a bit too warm-and-fuzzy for this little aspie turtle. 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/rethinking-trauma/201606/the-trouble-post-traumatic-growth

[BlueBay]

@suzanne that makes sense, thanks 🙂

[BlueBay]

yeah that's it @CheerBear it's still occurring because i have to re-tell it all the time.

[suzanne]

Hey @CheerBear 🙂

I just thought of something maybe more helpful.  More concrete anyway than all the philosophical stuff.  PTG has been found to be connected to helping others.  This is particularly true for veterans.  Those that came home and found a helping role reported stronger post-trauma benefits.  

This also made me think of the forums.  When you're in here witnessing the pain of others, and standing alongside them, you're helping your own growth as well as the growth of your fellow members.

[Phoenix_Rising]

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@suzannewrote:

It's kind of abstract, but the researchers like to talk about the re-thinking of everything we thought we knew as the basis for growth.  Working out who you are now, what your life now is, who everyone else now is, what on earth it's all about - somewhere in that process the growth appears.

Does that makes sense to anyone?  

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@suzanne Er...right now I'd be going with "no" on that one. But given I'm currently living through a massive retraumatization, I'm thinking I'm not in the best headspace to answer.