Are some people more resilient than others?

PODCAST

How to get up when you have survived an attack, a serious illness or family violence?

How to invent the life after?

In "Le Son de Vie", the Europe 1 Studio podcast created by journalist Sébastien Guyot, men and women, victims of trauma, tell, through sounds that have helped them, their path to resilience.

But what exactly does this term cover, which comes from the verb "resilire" which means "to rebound" in Latin?

Gérard Lopez, psychiatrist, co-founder of the Paris Institute of Victimology, explains to us.

What is your definition of the word "resilience"?

Gérard Lopez: Resilience is the act of bouncing back when faced with a difficult situation, whether it is abuse, mourning, abandonment, rape, incest, an attack, an illness ... a notion that was developed by the Anglo-Saxons some thirty years ago before being introduced in France, 25 years ago. 

Are some people more resilient than others? 

GL: Yes, there are people who bounce more easily than others.

It depends on multiple factors like the character, the personality of the individual.

For example, the egocentric, selfish person is, by definition, less sensitive to external events and tends to stand up more easily.

In theory, a person with a strong sense of humor will also be able to overcome their trauma more easily. 

But it is first and foremost the external factors that will affect an individual's ability to get up.

In general, a person raised in a climate of security with supportive parents will resist adversity better.

The one who suffered repeated trauma during her childhood will have more difficulty moving forward when a new ordeal arises.

Is being surrounded by others the key to overcoming a trauma?

GL: Yes, an individual supported by a loved one, a psychologist, a friend, a family member, a teacher or an association will always do better than if they are isolated.

The social bond is a factor of resilience as well as being recognized by the courts, being listened to by a psychologist or a psychiatrist but also by those close to him when possible. 

Three tips if you have been a victim of trauma:

Knocking on the door of an association.

Many associations come to the aid of victims of violence or trauma.

This is notably the case of France as a victim or of the FNCIDFF, the National Information Center on the Rights of Women and Families.

These associations have a decisive role: they listen, offer access to the law and can also refer, if necessary, to a psychologist or a psychiatrist. 

 Being accompanied by a trained specialist can be a real asset in moving forward on the road to resilience.

Psychologists or psychiatrists specializing in psychotrauma use techniques (EMDR, cognitive and behavioral therapies, hypnosis) recognized by scientific research as effective in the fight against trauma. 

 This is one of the keys to overcoming trauma: not to cut yourself off from others.

Activities that create a bond, such as sport or music, can thus be a real lifeline for an individual in pain.