Comments on: TEDWeekends asks: Can trauma be a gift?

By: Can trauma be a gift? | Share Life

Can trauma be a gift? | Share Life — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:48:41 +0000

[...] recently found this article on TED and loved it. It features Stacey Kramer’s “The Best Gift I Ever Survived” as [...]

By: Suicide, a bone of contention? | The Nameless One

Suicide, a bone of contention? | The Nameless One — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 15:00:05 +0000

[...] more pressing issues to contemplate about. In fact while writing this I was read these posts on can trauma be a gift? Stay strong! Live free or die [...]

By: Thomas Spellman

Thomas Spellman — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 12:58:20 +0000

Yes Trauma can be a benefit IF it is RESOLVED. It is in the resolution that growth can occur. Most unfortunately we as a society do not systematically apply the help to the traumatized individual that is necessary for healing/growth to occur. All of the individuals who know a murder need a check in to see how they are healing and to be aware that if their behavior changes that they will probably say they do not need help BUT the BEHAVIOR CHANGE is in fact a CRY FOR HELP!! When we learn this simple fact we first as groups and then as society will make significant progress to a fuller life for all of us Peace Tom

By: Ashana M

Ashana M — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 18:06:53 +0000

I think this is mainly what we tell ourselves to make ourselves feel better about how tragic life is.

I’m sure traumatic events do spur growth, but it’s impossible to say whether those who grow as a result of trauma wouldn’t have grown if they had had more pleasant experiences instead. They may simply be people who are more inclined to grow.

All of the research points to most people becoming less functional after trauma, at least for a period of time. More marriages dissolve following the diagnosis of illness or disability in a child than are strengthened by it.

Difficulty (beyond a certain degree) is not a gift, but we get from life what we are able to extract from it. If we look at difficulty as a gift, we may be able to force it into being one.

By: kchapmangibbons

kchapmangibbons — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 17:00:41 +0000

Reblogged this on Big Blue Dot Y'all and commented:
I’ve had my share of trauma. I worked, lived and loved highly traumatized people in many different stages of healing. Some don’t make it. And it isn’t because they didn’t want it or weren’t strong enough. Sometimes the monsters kill you.
It isn’t your character alone that determines your ability to transform trauma — context matters. Your context before the trauma, during and after.
The Question for me is: what are the conditions that provide a fertile environment for these processes? Thoughts?