Its a very stressful, anxiety-filled time.
The process can be summed up in one word: resilience.
What is the definition of resilience?
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What makes someone resilient to begin with, and can you develop resilience over time?
Heres what the science has to say.
Some scholars view resilience as being able to keep functioning as usual after a stressful or traumatic event.
We define it as a stable trajectory of healthy functioning, Bonanno says.
This definition raises some questions about howmental health conditionsdo and dont factor into resilience.
Other schools of thought view recovery as part of resilience.
As a 2010Research in Human Developmentarticle explains, resilience might involve three separate elements.
Then theres sustainability, which is described as continued interest in leading a meaningful life.
(This is sometimes calledpost-traumatic growth.)
Resilient people also experience pain and distress during difficult times.
Getting really upset at the time something happens is really natural, Bonanno says.
If theres a sense of loss, its okay to feel that.
The key is that resilient people are eventually able to adapt and move forward.
According to a 2016 review inBehavioral Medicine, various neurochemical systems have been associated with resilience.
One example is the sympathetic nervous system, which kickstarts yourfight-or-flight responsewhen you encounter a perceived threat.
Then there are the more dispositional and environmental factors that play into resilience.
There are lots and lots of things that predict who will be resilient and who wont, Bonanno says.
Lots of research shows that these traits can influence resilience.
Theres an optimism, a can-do optimism.
If I did it before, I can do it again.
They could even be better prepared to have their life upended in a different yet still significant way.
Obviously, we havent experienced a global pandemic on this level before.
Also, some circumstances can potentially set you up to belessresilient.
Having been traumatized as a child is one, Dr. Charney says.
Resilience is not a static concept, he says.
and attempt to brainstorm ways you could use those strengths to overcome adversity, McGuire recommends.
This idea comes from positive psychology research that suggests utilizing personal strengths can help enhance well-being.
Helping other people is a proven method of feeling better in difficult times.
Whats more, it could also be a way of strengthening your own support networkanother important predictor of resilience.
This means giving yourself permission to feel whatever emotions you might be feeling during a time of crisis.
When we spoke, Bonanno offered examples from his own experience.
His plans were canceled and he returned home, where hes been in lockdown with his family.
For me [what was helpful] was reframing, he says.
Im healthy, and Ill be okay.
Here are more strategies for building your resilience little by little every day.
The key in dealing with this event is managing stress, Bonanno says.
Its not a Pollyanna [situation] or unrealistic optimism, its optimism based on who youve become.
Because you have the psychological toolbox.
