If you have been through a traumatic event, or even if you’ve just been a little down lately, you probably don’t want to hear all the positive aspects to what you’re going through. However, there may come a time down the road when you are at a place where you can look back on something bad that’s happened and see some good that came of it. It may give you strength to know that some good things can come from bad times.
What positives do you get from trauma?
If you can, try to think of bad things that have happened to you in a new light. A bad experience can:
• Help you to see what is important to you, what isn’t, and how you want to spend your time (and who you do and do not want to spend it with)
• Help you to find a support group. This doesn’t have to be a therapist or a formal, structured support group. Support can come in many forms (maybe it will come from a coworker or a neighbor you hardly know who reaches out to help you during a difficult time), and going through a traumatic event can show you who your support group is and give you the chance to connect with them on a deeper level.
• Help you to be more supportive of those you love. For many people, going through a tough time helps them to help others.
• Help you realize how resourceful you are. It may be that whatever happened to you challenged you to find new solutions to old problems – or even just new ways to deal with problems that keep coming up.
• Help you realize how strong you are. You went through something horrible and you came out the other side. Maybe the event was something you were always afraid would happen, or maybe it was a surprise. Either way, you got through it and found out that you really can cope with bad things when they happen.
If you need help dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic event (and even possibly finding some good in what happened), the staff at Wasatch Crest Treatment can help. Contact the treatment center in Heber, Utah, at (800) 385-3507.
