In this article
What is resilience and how can you become resilient?
dossier
Resilience is the ability to maintain confidence in the future and to pick yourself up after a loss, trauma or setback. How can you become resilient, and can you train resilience?
Also read: Grief expert Manu Keirse: ‘You should not process loss, but rather survive it.’
What is resilience?
© Getty Images
The term resilience originally comes from physics. It refers to a material’s resistance to impact. In the late 1990s, Boris Cyrulnik published the concept of resilience in psychoanalysis, after observing concentration camp survivors and traumatized children. In his report, he emphasized the ability of certain people to show resilience in coping with major trauma.
Research in 2015 gave the word an even broader meaning. Since then, the definition has been: resilience is the ability to adapt to stress and change.
Also read: What does stress do to your body in the short and long term?
The corona crisis has given the term ‘resilience’ an enormous boost. Since then, more and more people have spoken up, both in politics and in business as well as in the personal sphere. Today, resilience refers to ‘bounce back’ or ‘resist’ in the face of adversity. In other words: away with the complaining and the wait-and-see attitude, we opt for perseverance, resistance and flexibility.
Being unhappy is a phase
A resilient person views adversity as a phase that can be overcome. Experts believe that you can develop a resilient attitude yourself by going through a number of stages: first the feeling of rebelliousness dominates, then follows the refusal to wallow in negativity, then a resilient person focuses on the future and what needs to be done to get back on track.
The benefits of resilience
According to some researchers, resilience has many benefits. A resilient person: has a better social life. can perform better under pressure. is better protected against psychological problems such as depression, stress, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, excessive worrying and attachment problems.
Also read: Post-traumatic stress disorder: what is PTSD and what can you do about it?
Can everyone become resilient?
Genetic factors and how you experienced your childhood play a role in shaping a personality, but you can also fine-tune yourself here and there. Although not everyone has resilience in their ‘basic package’, it is possible to increase your resilience, with a little effort and training. How? By ‘forging’ resilience after a physical or psychological trauma. This means accepting and dealing with painful events and then moving on from them so that you can move on with your normal life. Central to that process are positivism, anti-fatalism and (realistic) hope, all three strong weapons against depression.
Also read: The feeling of cotton wool in your head: what is brain fog?
How do you know if you are resilient?
According to the work of Dávid Farkas and Gábor Orosz, resilient people have three important qualities:
Resilient people when faced with a trial do not feel sorry for themselves and try to learn from the adversity. Resilient people have a wide range of mental, emotional and personal skills to solve problems. Resilient people are generally able to perform better under stress.
The limits of resilience
If stress factors weigh on you for too long and too heavily, you may no longer be physically and mentally able to recover. If you feel you are reaching your limits, it is important to seek professional help. Don’t take this as a sign of weakness. Everyone has their limits, no matter how resilient you are.
Also read: Stress: the difference between being tense and overwrought
How can you develop resilience?
Surround yourself with a solid, reliable social circle: When you’re going through a rough patch, the support of those around you is vital. They provide emotional comfort and stability in times of crisis. Relaxation and stress management: It is important to know what relaxation techniques can help you calm down and avoid being overwhelmed by your emotions (yoga, music, journaling. ..).Seek professional help: Some therapists can help you train resilience. Mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can also help.
Also read: Forms of psychotherapy: what is cognitive behavioral therapy?
Sources:
https://bmjopen.bmj.com
https://www.healthline.com
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Last updated: October 2023
Articles about health in your mailbox? Subscribe to our newsletter and receive a free e-book with healthy breakfast recipes.
Related articles
Related sections
2023-10-25 22:01:32
#resilience #resilient #health.be
