Jordan Gerald, Ng Fiona, Thomas Robyn
University of Birmingham, College of Life and Environmental Science, School of Psychology, Institute for Mental Health, Centre for Urban Wellbeing, Birmingham, UK.
School of Health Sciences, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
Ir J Psychol Med. 2023 Feb 17:1-6. doi: 10.1017/ipm.2023.7.
Psychosis is often a traumatic experience that can lead to significant suffering. However, people may also experience posttraumatic growth following psychosis. Posttraumatic growth refers to the positive changes that people experience following a struggle with an adversarial event and has been shown to occur in at least five domains, including a greater appreciation for life; improved relationships with others; greater personal strengths; new life possibilities and spiritual/existential growth. Studies have shown that mental health services can play a key role in facilitating posttraumatic growth. However, there are no recommendations that clinicians can follow to best support posttraumatic growth following psychosis specifically. Without guidance, clinicians risk invalidating people's experiences of, or providing improper support for, posttraumatic growth. To address this knowledge gap, we reflect on current research and clinical guidelines to recommend ways that clinicians can support posttraumatic growth following psychosis.
