PAIN AND ADVERSITY ARE OUR FRIENDS

By Brooke Hellekson

Adversity is defined as a difficult situation, condition, or event. Aggression, pain, anxiety,

and adversity are all natural and important parts of the human experience. According to
numerous psychological studies, there are positive outcomes of experiencing adversity. It should
be noted that experiencing excessive amounts of aggression, anxiety, and adversity is
maladaptive and could potentially lead to mental illnesses. However, small amounts of adversity
are often helpful later in life, and key to experiencing growth.
A study done at the University of Muenster in Germany involving mice showed that
experiencing adversity in adolescence tends to be beneficial later. Several 5-HHT male mice (of
all three genotypes: wildtype, homozygous, and heterozygous) were exposed to either an adverse
social environment or a positive environment. The 5-HHT homozygous mice were placed in a
mock territory of a dominant opponent, but were offered the possibility to escape to a safe cage.
The 5-HHT heterozygous and wildtype mice were placed in a positive experience; they were
allowed to have open access to a female mating partner. Afterwards all mice had their anxiety
and aggression levels tested in a series of tests. The mice that were placed in adverse social
situations showed a decrease in anxiety as well as an increase in exploratory locomotion. The
mice placed in a positive environment showed an increase in anxiety and were less aggressive.
Another study with similar results was done with cancer patients in Australia.
Psychologists used fifteen people to gauge their post-traumatic growth, or their growth from
facing adversity. These fifteen were composed of eight men and seven women. There ages all fall
between thirty-six and eighty-five. All participants were required to have worked with a cancer
advocacy group. Psychologists believed these participants would be able to provide a full
account of the experiences of a cancer patient; using both their own and others experiences.

The people interested in participating were separated into two groups based on
availability and then asked to fill out a questionnaire. This survey included positive/negative
experiences, changes, and why these might have happened. The participants all reported having
negative or traumatic experiences during their treatment, however they all identified experiences
of growth.
Four distinct themes kept reoccurring the survey. The first common theme that was
reported is shattered assumptions, in both pre-and post- treatment, they all report having to
reassess their own assumptions. The second reoccurring theme all involve areas of positive
change. These include no longer taking life for granted, valuing relationships more, gaining
self-awareness and understanding, and becoming more spiritual. Activities that Promote
Change was also commonly reported from the participants. The change the participants listed
included helping others, learning to do things for themselves, lifestyle changes, and gaining
knowledge. The last common reoccurring theme was relationships, support, and
understanding. This was an umbrella term for what the participants reported as the development
of supportive relationships as well as gaining a better sense of understanding and
communication.
Experiencing pain and adversity are part of the experience of being a human being.
Although when experiencing adversity, it often seems as if no good will come from it, the
psychological experiment using mice showed that there is the possibility that our anxiety will
lessen, and it will help us later in life. The survey of cancer survivors showed that even though
each one of them experienced an immense amount of pain and suffering, they also reporting
growing and learning things that they might not have without their diagnosis. Kevin Konroy

once said, Everyone is handed adversity in life. No ones journey is easy. Its how they handle it
that makes people unique.

WORKS CITED

Christensen, Larry. "Pain and Adversity Are Your Friends." PSY 2900 Positive Psychology. N.p.:
n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.
Connerty, T.J., and V. Knott. "Promoting Positive Change in the Face of Adversity: Experiences
of Cancer and Post-Traumatic Growth." European Journal of Cancer Care (n.d.): 33444. Web.
Kaiser, Sylvia, Helene S. Richter, Rebecca S. Schrieber, Neele Myer, Vanessa Kloke, Peter
Klaus Lesch, and Norbert Sachser. "The Unexpected Effects of Beneficial and Adverse
Social Experiences during Adolescence on Anxiety and Aggression and Their
Modulation by Genotype." N.p., n.d. Web.