Response To Trauma

This research entitled Resilience to Loss and Potential Trauma was an analysis of human response, specifically the human response to traumatic experiences. Researchers Bonanno, Westphal and Mancini dissected how traumatic events affect the holistic health of an individual. Aversive circumstances we learn can either promote resilience, lead to a downward spiral of chronic distress, or lead to effects that fluctuate between the two extremes. Researchers classified these events as “potentially traumatic events (PTE)” as the idea of trauma is relative to each individual and situation. The “variability in adaptation to such events suggests that the commonly used term “traumatic” is a misnomer.” There is indeed a spectrum of responses humans employ in order to cope with life’s unpredictability. However, statistical evidence reveals that individuals are more inclined

This data supports the idea of psychological immunity which suggests that humans maintain an innate drive to heal emotionally and mentally to avoid negative drawbacks. However, only 35-65% of people were classified as resilient. Under what category will we find others who are dealing with aversive events and what can psychologists do to help them avoid the diagnostic label of PTSD?

When Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was officially classified in the DSM, it relieved some of the stigmatized feelings that came with this psychological disorder. This was a major step in public health as we realized not all people handle PTE in the same way and cannot be expected to do so. Instead of analyzing this disease from an objective standpoint, professionals had to listen to the individual’s subjective views that were very real and debilitating to them. This research on potentially traumatic events explained the four most common trajectories/responses to PTE