The ability to overcome trauma is a fascinating and complex aspect of the human mind. After difficult experiences, some people manage to remain emotionally stable or recover over time while others face a lasting impact on their well-being.
Psychology has investigated these responses in depth, identifying patterns such as resilience, recovery, chronicity and late onset.
A study by Galatzer-Levy, Huang and Bonanno reveals that resilience is the most common response, present in more than 60% of cases. But what allows certain people to adapt better to adversity? Is the human mind designed to overcome trauma, or do we learn to deal with it through our daily experiences and experiences?
In general, the concept of “overcoming” is associated with a person’s ability to move forward after an adverse or complicated event, recovering their well-being and adapting to daily life. However, this idea can range from returning to a state of calm and emotional stability, to developing greater resilience and learning after the experience.
The research by Galatzer-Levy, Huang and Bonanno proposes four types of responses or trajectories, which describe the way people usually react after traumatic events: resilience, recovery, chronicity and late onset. Resilience is a more common response, and is characterized by emotional stability over time, even after experiencing trauma. On the other hand, recovery describes those who go through a period of significant discomfort, but eventually manage to regain their well-being.
There are also people who face a chronic response, in which the emotional and psychological symptoms associated with the trauma persist for a long time, making it difficult to return to a state of normality. Finally, late onset refers to cases in which the effects of trauma emerge some time after the event, sometimes unexpectedly.
These terms help to understand that there is no single way to overcome trauma; Responses vary depending on personal, contextual and temporal factors.
Main psychological responses to traumatic events
Recent studies on how people respond to traumatic events have identified four main trajectories: resilience, recovery, chronicity, and late onset. Each of these trajectories describes a common pattern of response to trauma and reflects variability in people’s ability to cope with adverse experiences.
1. Resilience
Resilience is the most common response, identified in approximately 65.7% of the cases analyzed. This pattern is observed in people who maintain considerably high emotional stability before, during and after a traumatic event. For these individuals, the impact of the trauma does not alter their daily functioning. as they have effective coping mechanisms and a supportive environment that facilitates their well-being. Resilience is considered the “ideal state” of response, showing that many people are able to adapt without experiencing prolonged discomfort.
2. Recovery
Recovery is the second most common response, present in around 20.8% of cases. Unlike resilience, people who recover experience an initial phase of significant distress or impact due to the trauma, which may include symptoms of anxiety, sadness, or stress. Nevertheless, Over time, they manage to return to their previous level of well-being. This process can take weeks or months and often depends on external factors such as family support, therapy, or time to process the experience.
3. Chronicity
On the other hand, the chronicity response occurs in 10.6% of cases, and represents a situation in which the symptoms derived from the trauma persist for a long time. People facing this trajectory may experience long-lasting symptoms such as intense anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. These symptoms tend to interfere with your daily activities and may require psychological or psychiatric intervention.. Chronicity is a less common response, but it is one of the most debilitating and makes it difficult to adapt to trauma.
Finally, late onset is observed in 8.9% of cases, and describes a situation in which the symptoms do not appear immediately after the traumatic event, but rather appear after a while, sometimes months or even years later. . This response is less understood, but it is believed that it may be related to factors such as accumulated stress or new events that reactivate the memory of the initial trauma. Late onset can be particularly difficult to treat due to its unpredictability.
Why are some people more resilient than others?
Trauma resilience is not a uniform response; some people manage to recover quickly, while others experience long-lasting effects. Various factors contribute to this variability in responses. Among the most prominent are social support, genetics, previous experiences and coping skills.
Social support is one of the most important elements. People who have consolidated support networks such as family, friends, or communities, tend to cope better with trauma. These bonds provide a sense of security and emotional support, which can reduce the intensity of stress and facilitate recovery. Studies have shown that close companionship can make a significant difference in how trauma is processed.
Genetic factors also play a role. Research suggests that certain biological predispositions, such as a more adaptive hormonal response to stress, may help some people better handle adverse events. However, Although genetics is an important factor, it does not absolutely determine resilience ; Experience and environment are also crucial.
Previous experiences greatly shape the response to trauma. Those people who have faced adversity in the past and have developed effective coping strategies often show a greater ability to deal with new traumatic events. The ability to learn from past experiences creates a kind of “resilience memory” that can strengthen over time.
Finally, coping skills are essential. Strategies such as self-care, seeking professional help and emotional regulation are learned skills that influence resilience and its development. Working on these capacities allows people to adapt more effectively in the face of trauma.
The role of evolution: are we made to overcome trauma?
Trauma resilience may not just be an individual ability, but rather an evolutionary adaptation that has allowed humans to face adversity. The resilience response, being the most common among the trajectories, suggests that Our mind and body are programmed, to a certain extent, to cope with emotional pain and adapt to difficult situations..
From an evolutionary perspective, resilience makes sense: in environments where threats were constant (predators, extreme weather conditions, conflicts between social groups…), humans who could maintain their mental and physical functioning despite difficulties had more chances of surviving and passing on their genes. Thus, resilience may have emerged as an evolutionary advantage, protecting not only the well-being of the individual, but also that of the community, which depended on mentally stable members to move forward.
However, resilience is not universal. Although many manage to adapt, others develop chronic symptoms or experience delayed responses. This can also be understood from an evolutionary perspective: Different responses to trauma could reflect an adaptation strategy depending on the environment and available resources.
Although resilience is the predominant response, the diversity of reactions to trauma shows that each individual has unique response mechanisms. In short, the ability to overcome trauma is part of our nature, but personal and contextual factors play a key role in how this ability manifests.
