Can Good Things Come from Cancer?

Exploring the Idea of Post-Traumatic Growth After Cancer

by Pamela J. Ginsberg, PhD

A cancer diagnosis can be one of the most devastating and frightening experiences a person ever has to face. Cancer can completely disrupt your life, sending you into a tailspin of fear, uncertainty, and loss of control. It will bring on a myriad of physical, emotional, and psychological challenges, which all must be addressed at a time when you feel vulnerable and destabilized.

However, though it is quite difficult, it is certainly possible to work through these challenges to not only restabilize your life but also grow from the experience. Psychologists call this concept post-traumatic growth, a concept introduced by Dr. Lawrence Calhoun and Dr. Richard Tedeschi. It refers to the process by which a person grows stronger and more contented as they overcome difficult or traumatic experiences. Post-traumatic growth after cancer happens when you take on the cancer experience with a sense of strength and open yourself up to the new perspectives and understanding that can come from going through such a difficult time.

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