Experiencing a traumatic event can have a transformational role  and facilitate growth. We all experience some level of trauma or adversity during our lifetime. Not to catastrophize things, but frankly, chronic illness carries a heavy weight. Sometimes it can destroy so much.

Post-traumatic growth (PTG) refers to positive personality change following traumatic life events. It is a theory that explains this kind of transformation following trauma developed by psychologists Richard Tedeschi, PhD, and Lawrence Calhoun, PhD, and states that people who endure psychological struggle following adversity, can often see growth afterwards.

Post-traumatic growth can happen in a variety of ways. How it happens depends very much on your motivations, as well as the nature of your condition. Illness may lead the way to opportunity as each of us possess the capacity to grow in some way from our illnesses or other traumas. We would prefer to not have those types of opportunities.  Here are seven examples of how you may experience post-traumatic growth because of illness.

1. Values Shift

When your health is severely compromised or you even come face to face with your mortality, there is a strong chance that your way of viewing life will be altered. Being forced to slow down provides you with a chance to reflect upon this. Consequently, you can establish and develop new core values, for example, authenticity or spirituality.

2. Strengths

Although your physical muscles may be wasting away because of your health condition, your mental and psychological muscles can be made to grow stronger. Illness is a challenge that can teach you adaptability and resilience.  Having these strengths will help you to grow into a stronger person beyond just illness.

3. Self-discovery

Illness can also be a period of self-reflection which allows you to discover new things about yourself. Maybe there are likes or interests you discover that you did not possess before. Discovering them means that you have grown in self-awareness that you did not have previously.

4. Purpose.

I have known people with major illnesses who went on to use it to define their life purpose. One of them went on to study fashion and design a line of clothing that catered to people with the same condition she had. In another case, someone went on to study nutrition so that they could help treat people with a similar illness state. The purpose is a hard thing to come by for most people, but illness may provide it.

5. Physically Fitter

This may not be a realistic option for everyone but for a variety of individuals, illness may motivate them to make exercise and diet a priority. With strategy and persistence, some of them may even become fitter and stronger than they were before the illness.

6. Skills or Knowledge

Spare time and shifts in core values can provide the opportunity and desire to re-educate yourself. Online courses and self-paced learning are excellent ways to facilitate personal growth.

7. New Possibilities

Experiencing a major illness can inspire you to make the most of your time on this earth. You start to open your mind to possibilities you had not thought of. New relationships, priorities or even places to live may be options, which were previously not on the table, for you to consider now.

We invite you to share your feedback with us. Have you tried any of these before? Have you tried anything different? What has worked for you? What has not worked?

Is there anything else you would like for us to cover?

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As always, if you are experiencing any severe medical or psychological symptoms, we always recommend you speak directly to a qualified professional.

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