analytical psychologist, psychosomatotherapist, coach
What is psychological resilience? How to understand what its level is and what to do to increase it? Let’s consistently understand all the nuances.
What is psychological resilience?
Psychological stability is the ability to adequately respond to stresses, difficulties and negative events, preserving or quickly restoring its emotional balance. It is about a person who in any circumstances does not lose a positive attitude to life, meanings and value orientations. The most interesting thing is that this property is not innate, it is formed in the process of personal development.
Signs of psychological stability are the ability to:
– to control negative emotions and not give in to them;
– to keep optimism, hope and inner positivity;
– not to lose self-esteem and sense of self-efficacy;
– recover from stress with minimal losses;
– not to close in on problems, all the time continuing to move forward.
Factors of psychological resilience
Psychological resilience is an important component of mental health and successful adaptation to the demands of the external environment. The ability to maintain equilibrium under the influence of stressful situations depends on a number of personal factors and life experience of a person.
- The presence of a system of meanings and values that make life conscious and give it direction. Clear goals and beliefs help a person not to get lost, no matter what life difficulties may befall him or her.
- Adequate self-esteem and self-acceptance. People who have these options pumped up, more easily tolerate failures and criticism of their own.
- Developed coping strategies. Here we are talking about the ability to adaptively cope with stress with the help of productive coping strategies (problem solving, seeking support, cognitive reassessment).
- Social support. If a person has loved ones who are ready to provide him with emotional and “technical” support, he is less susceptible to the effects of stress. Accordingly – difficulties will be borne more easily.
- Physical health and care for it. Regular moderate exercise, proper nutrition and lifestyle in general increase overall resistance to stress.
- Past coping experiences. People who have managed to cope with life challenges have higher psychological resilience.
Thus, psychological resilience is influenced by a whole complex of personal resources and social factors. Their development and strengthening significantly increase a person’s ability to withstand difficult life situations and adapt to new conditions.
Levels of psychological resilience
Psychological resilience is divided into several levels, which can be inherent in different people depending on their experience, personal qualities and abilities.
1- The basic level of psychological resilience is the ability to maintain emotional stability in everyday life and not to lose composure in small stressful situations. At this level, people can cope more successfully with minor everyday difficulties such as delay at work, conflicts with coworkers, or minor financial problems.
2. Medium level of psychological resilience is the ability to remain emotionally and mentally stable under more serious stressful situations, such as job loss, divorce, or serious illness. People with a high level of this resilience can more effectively cope with such crisis situations while maintaining poise and the ability to function normally.
3. A high level of psychological resilience is the ability to maintain emotional and mental stability under the most severe and prolonged stressful situations, such as serious illness, loss of loved ones, traumatic events or disasters. People with a high level of such resilience are not only able to successfully cope with such crisis situations, maintaining balance and the ability to function normally, they are also able to adapt to the changed conditions quite quickly.
Formation of psychological resilience
This process begins in early childhood and takes place throughout life. An important factor here is the experience of early relationships with parents and other close people. Children who receive enough love, care and attention usually feel more confident and secure in the world. With this base, they can better cope with stress and adapt to new situations in the future.
Being able to manage your emotional reactions is also strategic. People who are able to recognize, express and control feelings have a higher level of psychological resilience. In addition, here it is important to learn to accept the inevitability of life changes and crises, as well as the need to adapt to them.
One of the key factors in the formation of psychological resilience is the experience of successfully overcoming difficulties. People who regularly face them and find ways to cope, learn to believe in their strengths and increase their ability to self-regulate. They are usually more effective and know that they will be able to achieve their goals.
An important factor is the support of others. If a person has quality relationships with family, friends, and coworkers, they will be able to cope with stress and difficulties more easily.
Finally, personality traits can also influence measures of psychological resilience. For example, people who have a high level of self-discipline, a reserve of optimism, and a drive to achieve goals tend to be much more resilient in the face of difficulties.
In general, the process of forming psychological resilience is complex and depends on many factors. The level of development of this option can be increased throughout life, and the optimal strategy here each person chooses individually. Here to help you: trainings, psychotherapy and personal work on the development of certain qualities and skills. Let’s see what steps can be taken to pump up psychological resilience.
How to increase your resilience? 5 tips from a psychologist
Increasing psychological resilience can be achieved through a series of practical actions and lifestyle changes. Let’s break down five things you should pay attention to.
1. Improving the quality of your sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep, your risk of increasing stress levels increases dramatically and your ability to cope with it decreases. Try to ensure that you get enough sleep. At least 7-8 hours a day. Also keep a sleep and wakefulness schedule.
2. Engage in regular physical activities. They can reduce stress levels and improve mental health indicators. Make time for activity and moderate exercise. This could be: walking, running, yoga or swimming.
3. Develop social support. Involvement from loved ones can increase resilience and reduce stress levels. Try to maintain quality relationships with loved ones, socialize with friends, and participate in social activities.
4. Pump up your ability to regulate emotions. Learn to recognize your feelings, control them and find ways to relax. Meditative and breathing practices (deep belly breathing) are helpful here.
5. Develop coping skills. Learn to accept inevitable changes and life crises as integral parts of our lives. Look for adaptations and positives.
6. Learn planning and time management skills. Develop action strategies to accomplish your goals. Manage time and personal priorities.
7. Seeking professional help. If you are experiencing increased levels of stress or anxiety, it may be helpful to seek professional help. Logotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and other modalities can help build resilience and pump up your coping skills.
Psychological Resilience Test
When taking the test, try to answer honestly. It’s important that you don’t let anything get in your way and have enough time to think about the questions. This test will highlight your strengths and areas of growth.
Instructions: answer yes or no to the following statements about how you usually react to stressful situations.
- I manage to stay calm even in very stressful moments.
- I can control my emotions when faced with difficulties.
- I don’t lose my head in critical situations and can make intelligent decisions.
- I am confident in my ability to cope with life’s difficulties.
- I quickly return to normal after stressful situations.
- I remain optimistic and believe in the best, even when faced with setbacks.
- I have a solid support system of friends and family.
- I exercise regularly and keep fit.
- I try to analyze stressful situations and learn from them.
- I can find meaning and value in difficult life situations.
Scoring:
For each “yes” answer – 1 point. If the answer is “no” – 0 points.
Interpretation of results:
- 8-10 points – high level of psychological stability;
- 5-7 points – average level of psychological stability. There are resources, but there is also something to work on;
- 0-4 points – low level of psychological stability. It is recommended to develop stress resistance.
This simple questionnaire allows you to generally assess a person’s ability to maintain internal balance in stressful situations. If more in-depth diagnostics is necessary, more detailed methods should be used.
We live in a fast-paced world full of stressful situations and surprises. Remember that taking care of your psychological health is a contribution to the future. After all, the more effectively we react to changes, the higher the chance for positive development of all spheres of our life.
Useful books
- “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie – a classic book that teaches how to cope with stress, anxiety and confidently communicate with people.
- “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living” by Dale Carnegie – another useful book from this author on how to get rid of obsessive thoughts and anxiety.
- “From Man to Man: The Problem of Being Human” by Carl Rogers – a book by the founder of humanistic psychology on how to develop self-confidence and respect for others.
- “Therapeutic Metaphors” by Milton Erickson – a collection of parables and metaphors that help you better understand yourself and your problems.
- “Emotional Flexibility” by Susan David – a book about overcoming social anxiety and developing confidence in communication.
- “The Body Remembers Everything. What role psychological trauma plays in a person’s life and what techniques help to overcome it” by Bessel van der Kolk – a book that will help to uncover and heal psychological traumas that interfere with normal life.
- “How to Maintain Emotional Health in Any Circumstances” by Albert Ellis – a book by the founder of REPT (rational-emotional behavioral therapy) on how to treat yourself with understanding and care.
- “I’m OK, You’re OK” by Thomas Harris is a best-selling book about transactional analysis and accepting yourself as you are.