When certain, potentially traumatizing events occur between the ages of 0-17, the effect they can have on that individual's life is massive; these events are often referred to as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). A prevalence of ACEs in someone’s childhood can lead to a number of different issues later in life, including physical health issues such as heart disease and diabetes; mental health issues such as being at a higher risk of suicide, depression and bipolar disorder, and other issues such as pregnancy complications, difficulty forming healthy relationships, and struggling to create a stable work history as an adult. ACEs are also quite common, with about 64% of all US adults saying that they’ve experienced at least one ACE, and with 17.3% of US adults saying that they have experienced four or more ACEs. It is important to note, however, that the occurrence of an ACE (or multiple) in someone’s life does not mean that they are destined to have a difficult adulthood. In fact, research shows that being resilient is one of the strongest indicators that someone will be able to “bounce back” from difficult events.
Resiliency is often referred to the ability to “grin and bear it,” though that is far from what it actually is. And, despite what you might believe, individuals are not necessarily just “born with it.” While it is true that having things like healthy attachments as a child, experiencing love from caretakers and/or others, having values, and having traditions can be part of what makes someone resilient from an early age, it is also true that neither traits nor our surroundings are what entirely determine whether or not we are resilient. Research suggests that the habits, skills, and resources that are associated with the ability to be resilient can be gained and trained over time. Resilience training is one way of training the brain to be more resilient. It is often described as involving things like fostering an optimistic mindset, creating goals, learning more about ourselves through cultivating a sense of self, and becoming more able to regulate our emotions and tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty. If you want to learn more about different ways and methods on training your own resilience, feel free to take a look at the first link in the Resources section below.
With all of that in mind, one of the most important aspects of developing resilience that has come up in a number of research studies on the topic is the importance of support. Whether as a child or as an adult or somewhere in between, having someone who is there to support you as a friend, a caretaker, or a mentor is something that is incredibly beneficial and important to developing resilience. Resilience can do so many things to combat the traumatic events that can occur in people’s lives, and it is a critical skill to foster and develop. It is also important to recognize the fact that you have the ability to help yourself and others be more resilient. Imagine being able to help yourself and others get through difficult times, that sure sounds like a superpower to me.
Ayanna Schubert
Birch Psychology
Resources
https://positivepsychology.com/resilience-training/
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/fastfact.html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014521342300073X