Newswise — BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Some traumatic events are “short-lasting” — a tornado roars in and then is gone, for example. Hurricane Florence, on the other hand, does not seem to be in a hurry to move on, and the prolonged nature of the storm with widespread flooding does not allow for anxiety to resolve.
“In many traumatic events, we see peaks and valleys,” said UAB clinical psychologist Josh Klapow, Ph.D. “Anxiety levels increase in the height of the event and then relax as events move on. The effects of Florence, however, aren’t moving on, which means, for those in the affected areas, resiliency is key.”
Klapow says resiliency is the ability to adapt and cope with difficult events.
“Being resilient doesn’t mean you aren’t affected by the situation, and it doesn’t mean you don’t experience intense emotions,” he said. “It means that you are able to adapt and keep moving forward.”
Klapow says resilient people usually have supportive relationships that provide encouragement, reassurance and love. Other factors that boost resiliency are the ability to make realistic goals and take action to reach them, self-confidence, problem-solving skills, and the ability to handle strong feelings and impulse behavior.
To boost your ability to be resilient, Klapow recommends:
- Strengthening relationships with family, friends, co-workers and your community.
- Setting goals you can attain, and then making sure to accomplish them.
- Finding meaning in the situation, whether it be a strengthened sense of spirituality, enhanced appreciation of life or discovering an inner strength within yourself.
- Spending part of your day taking care of your physical and mental health.
“We are all born with an instinct to survive,” he said. “Building resiliency will help an individual navigate life’s journey with greater confidence and be better prepared to deal with circumstances beyond our control.”
About UAB
Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the University of Alabama at Birmingham is the state of Alabama’s largest employer and an internationally renowned research university and academic medical center; its professional schools and specialty patient-care programs are consistently ranked among the nation’s top 50. Learn more at www.uab.edu and www.uabmedicine.org. UAB: Powered by will.
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