Katrina: Resources and Recovery

Resilience following Katrina

Vida Petronis, Ph.D.

Have you ever wondered why one person crumbles in the face of adversity, while another person manages well, or even thrives? Have you noticed, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, how two people who face similar situations of loss may respond to those situations in completely different ways—one that is adaptive, and one that is not? What accounts for these differences in people? Why do some of us bend and others break when confronting difficult life experiences?

The answers to these questions all involve one concept: resilience. Resilience is defined as the ability to cope with adversity, to adjust to change, to “bounce back” from trauma or hardships. When we are resilient, we call upon an array of beliefs, behaviors, and skills to move beyond adversity to recovery. While some people are naturally more resilient, resilience is not rare. Resilience can be learned as well as strengthened with each challenge we face.

Being resilient doesn’t mean that you never become upset, sad, or angry, or that all of life’s problems go away. It doesn’t mean that you won’t be strongly affected by how Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath have changed your life. In fact, the process of becoming more resilient may involve considerable emotional distress as you confront feelings of fear, sadness, horror, and increased vulnerability. The road to resilience is a personal process that varies with each individual’s personality, life situation, and cultural background. But however you arrive at resilience, it means you can adapt to the inevitable challenges life presents with flexibility—even the challenges that seem beyond your control.

One way to begin to strengthen your resilience is to think about previous challenges in your life that you have overcome, and how you did so. The challenges could be in the form of a relationship break-up, a move across the country, or even the death of a loved one. By considering the following questions you may recognize ways in which you were resilient in the past and how you can put those skills to use again:

∙ What kinds of events have caused me the most stress?

∙ How did those events affect me?

∙ To whom did I reach out during those stressful times?

∙ What did I learn about myself during those times?

∙ What helped me to feel more hopeful about the future?

In answering these questions, you may have realized that, for example, you always sought out a specific family member or friend to talk to. Or that you found that writing in a journal, or praying, helped you to make it through a stressful time. Without knowing it, you were using positive coping mechanisms to adapt to the situation and strengthen your resilience. Below is a list of different ways that can help build resilience (American Psychological Association, 2005). Read through the list and see which ways you already use, and what are some ways you can add to your resilience repertoire:

∙ Get social support. Accept help, support, or even a willing ear from family members, friends, or groups to which you belong (sorority or fraternity, university club, religious group, etc.). You can also assist others who need help as a way to strengthen resilience.

∙ Don’t think in terms of impossible problems. Try changing the way you interpret and respond to challenges. Think about ways in which things may improve in the future, and notice even subtle ways in which you feel better since the beginning of the crisis.

∙ Accept change as part of life. You may need to change your goals because of adverse circumstances. Focus on parts of the situation you can change, and remember that change can bring positive circumstances as well.

∙ Develop realistic goals and move towards them. Resilient people divide big tasks into small steps, and then work on those small steps regularly to get to where they want to go. Ask yourself what is the one thing you can accomplish today to further your goal.

∙ Look for ways you can grow. People tend to learn things about themselves when they face difficult situations, and find that they have grown as a result of adversity. Look for opportunities to have better relationships, an increased sense of self-respect, deeper spirituality, or greater appreciation of life.

∙ View yourself positively. Gaining confidence in your problem-solving abilities and relying on your instincts are ways to build resilience.

∙ Maintain your perspective. As difficult as things may be, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. Remember, the challenge you face now is just one of many different experiences that will contribute to your life-long development.

∙ Try to think optimistically. When you are hopeful, you expect good things will happen to you. Strive towards seeing the glass as half full, and visualizing what you would like, instead of focusing on what you are afraid of.

∙ Take time for self-care. Make sure you nurture your body, mind, and soul so that you are ready and able to face situations that call for resilience. Make time for play as well as work. Engage in activities that are relaxing and enjoyable. And, as always, eat well, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep.

Developing resilience may take time, but you will find that, like any skill, the more you work at it, the more it will improve and the better able you will be to face life’s inevitable challenges.

*Adapted from Road to Resilience, American Psychological Association. Found at http://www.apahelpcenter.org/featuredtopics/feature.php?id=6

Updated on November 15, 2005