Part I of II.
Mentally strong and resilient people overcome adversities in their lives, learn valuable lessons, and often become enlightened by seemingly impossible setbacks.
The study of mental resilience and mental strength has not only been a focus by researchers in Positive Psychology over the last several decades but a popular topic of exploration since ancient times. Myths, religions, stories, and fairy tales have relayed similar tales of how individuals have not only overcome numerous obstacles in their lives but have flourished with an abundance of positive outcomes as a result. For instance, in best-selling books such as The Hero’s Journey (Campbell, 1970) and The Alchemist (Ruiz, 2014) heroes/ heroines faced enormous obstacles and setbacks time and time again. However, they emerge stronger on the other side with transformation and enlightenment. In addition, spiritual scholars across cultures have also explored the journey to mental resilience and human strength despite adverse experiences.
According to Dr. Carolyn Myss, religious scholars have also been fascinated by how religions convey messages of mental strength and resilience. For example, various religious figures and mystics such as Abraham, Buddha, Jesus, and Moses share common stories of abandonment, betrayal, alienation, and exclusion from their families or communities. Yet, they flourished in the end despite a litany of adversities. Real-life examples include Dr. Victor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning, who faced both devastating losses and treatment during the Holocaust. However, he became a leader in the field of psychotherapy and shared that if one has a meaning in life or a purpose, one can survive any circumstance. He was transformed by seemingly impossible setbacks like many mentally resilient people.
Other examples include stories of well-known public figures who had adverse and abusive childhoods and yet attain extraordinary achievements and contributions to their community in face of adversity. We all know of those in our personal lives and beyond who have made “lemonade out of lemons” and have grown and inspired others in face of quite dire circumstances. What makes them different? Are you mentally resilient?
What Is Mental Resilience? What It Is and What It Is Not.
Resilience is defined as patterns of positive adaptation during or after significant exposure to adversity and risk. What makes some flourish in adversity and some crumble? Why do some chronically break down or lose their spirit, or not fully recover during long-term stressful times? What causes a songwriter to discharge his heartache over a lost love but also leads to creating a product that can help heal others? The answer is not straightforward because other variables may contribute to a lack of resilience. For example, these can include earlier unresolved traumas and environmental factors. However, researchers argue that resilience is linked to inherent personality traits linked to adaptability (Lester & Godwin, 2021) and emotional maturity, and adaptive defense mechanisms (Metzger, 2014).
Many theorists believe that mental and emotional resilience, such as the ability to be adaptable and flexible is something that one is born with. These traits are observable in young children and tend to be consistent during one’s life. Although different criteria have been used for studying the facets that decide resilience (Masten, et al., 2014), mastering various developmental tasks has been used as a standard. In children and adolescents, the presence of social, academic, and prosocial behavior is used to determine factors in mental and emotional resilience. This is common across cultures. For example, children and adolescents in most societies are expected to get along with other kids. They are expected to follow the rules of the classroom, home, and abide by the law and not oppose it. They are expected to be able to regulate their emotions at school and work. The ability to show these social norms early on, such as the ability to get along with others, hold down a job, and control their emotions in public is not only indicative of their success as adults but are indicators of mental resilience. The likelihood of more positive outcomes versus negative ones is much higher with resilient behaviors.
Mental Resilience and Emotional Immaturity
Unfortunately, not all individuals have the inherent benefit of these traits that are linked to emotional maturity. The problem is that those with less mentally resilient traits may be emotionally immature and show maladaptive defense functioning. They may experience and cause chronic internal or external emotional distress/drama, fail to successfully regulate across situations (i.e., outbursts, interpersonal problems in relationships), may have “failed to launch”, and exhibit toxic and abusive behavior in families and groups. They may exhibit high conflict as a result of their emotional immaturity, both linked to psychopathology and negatively correlated with resilience. Conversely, those with emotional maturity and adaptive defenses help “turn lead into gold” or make meaning of the painful experiences in their lives. Simply put, emotionally immature people may lack the ability to navigate the world constructively due to their inherent personality traits.
Mental Resilience and Psychopathology
Mental strength and adaptive and effective defense functioning are associated with the absence of psychopathology, and positive mental health such as psychosocial and emotional maturity, occupational success, and meaningful relationships (Valliant, 2000). Mentally resilient people have “psychological tool kits” full of various tools, these tools can be called traits (Lester & Godwin, 2021). A trait is a united set of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that are useful in managing a wide range of diverse life experiences, successfully. The ability to assess reality clearly to obtain the best outcomes is key. However, those with psychopathology and particularly personality disorders tend to struggle with resilience due to their inherent personality deficits.
For example, in a “disordered” personality, such as Antisocial Personality Disorder (psychopathy), negative consequences are created because their exclusive trait is exploitation and the most important deficiency is honor. Therefore, they have continual agreement violations in relationships such as cheating, deceitfulness, lying, consistent work or financial irresponsibility, and impulsivity or failure to plan. Conversely, a mentally resilient person would be able to self-correct, have empathy for a person they violated, and would change their behavior to stop negative consequences (financial problems, loss of relationships due to repeated infidelities, etc.). In short, mentally resilient people can self-correct and problems solve.
Part 2 of this series will focus on 7 Traits of Strong Resilient People.
Copyright 2022: Dr. Tracy Hutchinson, Ph.D.
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References:
Childs E., White, T., & Whit, H. (2014). Personality traits modulate emotional and physiological responses to stress. Behavioral Pharmacolology. 25, 493-502. doi:10.1097/FBP.000000000000006.
Godwin, A. & Lester, G. (2021). Demystifying personality disorders. Clinical Skills for working with drama and manipulation. (PESI) Lesser, E. (2004).
Lesser, E. (2008). Broken open, how difficult times help us grow. Villard: New York, NY.
Metzger, J. A. (2014). Adaptive Defense Mechanisms: Function and Transcendence. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 70(5), 478–488. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22091
Myss, C. (2001). Sacred contracts: Awakening your divine potential. Harmony Books, 2001.
Turnipseed, D (2018). Emotional intelligence and OCB: The moderating role of work locus of control. Journal of Social Psychology. 2018;158(3):322-336. doi:10.1080/00224545.2017.1346582
Vaillant, G. E. (2000). Adaptive mental mechanisms: Their role in a positive psychology. American Psychologist, 55(1), 89–98. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.89
