Previous articles and reviews in this journal have addressed how exposure to an extreme stressor can result in intense fear, helplessness and horror. In some individuals, this can result in such a high level of stress that treatment is warranted. The key challenge for diagnosis of trauma, treatment and/ or psychoeducation were described by Koch et al (2012a). These authors also identified the innovative research emerging from a team of North Carolina researchers on positive outcomes or post-traumatic growth often reported by trauma victims as they process their experiences. Koch et al (2012b) followed up this theme in their subsequent article (‘Adverse events: traumatic or potential for growth’), identifying the way that resilience can be enhanced, despite, or perhaps because of, the high level of vulnerability and challenges experienced during a trauma. The authors made the general point that trauma survivors should not be viewed as ‘helpless victims of a life-long condition’ since they may have been experiencing insights that lead to meaningful personal growth.
The third article in this series reflects on how posttraumatic growth can occur as the result of road accidents, both for the victim themselves and, at times, vicariously for the assessing or treating clinician.
