Chapter 6. The Mechanism of Dissociation (1) Resilience--- Capacity not to Dissociate (11)

Would traumatic experiences make us stronger? Toward a new trauma theory
The notion of resilience provides an important message. Serious and potentially traumatizing stress can still be beneficial to us. It can make us tougher and even more resilient. Many of us take for granted the potential benefit of experiencing serious stress. Some of us might easily relate to the aphorism "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger” that Friedrich Nietzsche mentioned in his "Twilight of Idols." We Japanese have a traditional practice of treading wheat plants in order to get them stronger and more fertile, and we often use this metaphor to rationalize our tough and disciplinary education or training.
Evolutional process itself can be a proof of Nietzschean aphorism. Species which survived despite adverse environmental change can be regarded as having gained strength due to the environmental stress. In immunology, studies indicated that certain types of stress might actually make the immune system stronger, especially the stress involves mental exertion（Bosch, et al. 2001）
Bosch, JA., de Geus EJ., Kelder A (2001) Differential effects of active versus passive coping on secretory immunity. Psychophysiology. 38:836–46.
Many modalities of psychological treatment appear to be based on a concept that stressful process can work therapeutically. Recently cognitive behavioral therapy such as PE (prolonged exposure) for PTSD (Foa, 2004) has been the focus of attention. In PE, exposure or reliving painful traumatic event in a therapeutic setting can help an individual overcome his traumatic memories. However, as we saw in the earlier chapter, such intervention as CISD（Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, Everly, 1997）, another approach in which participants are invited to discuss their traumatic experiences soon after the exposure, has been found to be potentially untherapeutic.
Foa, EB., Rothbaum, BO., Hembree, EA. (2007) Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD: Emotional Processing of Traumatic Experiences. Therapist Guide. Oxford University Press.
Everly, GS. Mitchell, JT. (1997) Critical Incident Debriefing Schedule. Chevron Publishing Corporation.
One determining factor as to whether stress by exposure to the traumatic event works positively or negatively is the time after the event. Reliving traumatic event itself can be highly harmful and untherapeutic if it occurs soon after the trauma. Perhaps the very initial self-healing process after the trauma should occur privately without any active therapeutic intervention. However, as the time goes by and the long-term memory of the traumatic event begins to form, exposure to the traumatic event in a secure therapeutic environment can help process the traumatic experience.