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Resilience in uncertainty


Resilience in the face of adversity and uncertainty

Resilience David Stirling a founder SAS

This article is just one of several articles relevant to "surviving" or coping with the changes caused by a crisis. Resilience becomes increasingly important in times of uncertainty, both in the early days and more so as time progresses. By its very nature, a crisis brings uncertainty, change and frequently fear of the unknown. Some people cope better with change and uncertainty and thrive on it. The recent pandemic has and continues to impact people in varying degrees, with some noticing relatively minor changes and others experiencing life-changing events. Why do some people seem to cope better with crises than others, and what makes them more resilient? The author wrote this article to help others and draws on his experience operating in elite British forces, his higher education training and personal research.


Training

Resilience in the face of adversity - Training

Training is an excellent example of a pre-exposure intervention and used in many professions, notably the military and emergency services. Training scenarios attempt to be as realistic as possible and aimed at preparing the individual for real-life stressful events/situations relating to the type of work these individuals are going to be exposed too. Exposure to specifically designed scenarios can also have a positive impact on how one perceives any given "stressor". Our actual perception of a stressful situation can have a significant effect on how we react when confronted with such an event. Hence, training prepares the individual for when they have to face a real-life stressful situation. The idea is that realistic training will mean that when a situation arises, it is not likely entirely new and physically and or psychological overwhelming to the person confronted by it. Such training can make the difference between life and death and how people react in any given situation.


Resilience

Resilience Characteristics

One can view resilience as a collection of behaviours, characteristics, or coping strategies observed in people deemed resilient. Characteristics of resilient people cover all aspects of the stress response: pre-, during and post (see the stress-related article part 1). There may still be much debate on whether a level of resilience is genetic (nature) or developed through experiences (nurture). Selection courses for the Elite military and Special Forces units will undoubtedly be looking to test potential candidates' physical and mental resilience to the limits through a series of controlled and often gruelling test scenarios. Equally, such courses will look for candidates with demonstrable qualities, including adaptability, trainability, teamwork, resolve, judgement, self-discipline, and physical and mental toughness. The following list is not exhaustive, but each one of the characteristics can help one deal with "stress", build resilience and provide drive and purpose. Many of these attributes or characteristics relate to one's perception of events and how one views the world around us, with some being interrelated.


Exercise

Resilience in the face of adversity - Exercise

Exercise and physical fitness are critical aspects of Elite military forces and their training. Furthermore, there are links between people deemed as resilient and routine physical activity levels. Exercise is also a great way to deal with "stress" and, in many respects, is a very logical way to deal with stress. After all, initiating the "stress response" primes the human body for some form of physical activity, typically a "fight, flight, freeze or fawn" response. Hence, providing the human body with some constructive physical activity to utilise all the resources unleashed during the "stress response" is logical. Research has shown that physical activity has countless health benefits, including immunological, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal. Physical activity also helps to flush the system of hormones released during the stress response. Exercise also results in the release of endorphins, a neurotransmitter which has many beneficial properties. Endorphins are the body's natural painkillers, but they can also help one sleep and significantly and positively impact one's mood. Hence, the release of endorphins after initiating the "stress response" may be viewed as desirable, as the endorphins help calm the body. Even in a pandemic, it is essential to maintain fitness levels for both physical and mental well-being. The recent pandemic has created vast changes in virtually everybody's daily life, adding uncertainty, stress, and changes to routine. Besides the benefits of maintaining some fitness regime, planning physical activity adds structure and routine and helps break up daily life. It is surprisingly easy to maintain a high fitness level without specific equipment, with very little room and virtually anywhere. In a pandemic or while travelling for work, everyday items within a bedroom, living room or kitchen can help keep one fit and active and sometimes it is just a case of being a bit creative.


Individual Attitude

Resilience in the face of adversity - Individual Attitude

Our attitude significantly impacts how we process information and are likely predisposed to react to any given situation or event. Attitudes can be formed and changed based on perceived experiences, directly impacting our feelings, beliefs and behaviours. One's attitude or perception of everyday life events can be hugely positive or negative regarding stress levels, physical well-being, and mental health. Attitudes can shape how we perceive other people, ideas, belief structures, appearance and even our feelings towards objects. All of us have encountered events that can be extreme on a scale of pleasantness to unpleasantness. Many things happen in life that can take people out of their natural comfort zone. These things can be viewed positively as challenges or negatively and hugely stressful events. Elite and special forces selection processes continuously look to "push the boundaries" and take potential candidates out of their comfort zone to see how they react. Going outside one's comfort zone in a safe and supportive environment is a means of training, self-development, and a way to push one's boundaries. If one views all events negatively, one usually tends to give up or avoid trying new things. However, resilient people rarely quit and metaphorically dust themselves off after failures or adverse events, forge on with the next challenge, and learn from the process. Our attitude can be shaped either positively or negatively by how we perceive events and experiences and the learning we take or don't take from these situations. Attitude affects why some climb mountains, jump out of planes or attempt the supposedly impossible. During times of crisis, one can either sit there and wait for the situation to change, which it will at some point, or be proactive and change ones situation for the better.


Control of destiny or locus of control

Resilience in the face of adversity - Control of destiny

Our perception of life, in general, also has a massive impact on how we feel and process events or experiences, and we often have to choose a path(s) in life. Resilient people also demonstrate a "locus of control" or view that they have a high degree of "control over their destiny". Many of our decisions in life have a significant impact on subsequent opportunities or events. One can either believe that "nothing good ever happens for me" or "I'm so unlucky", or one can try to change things. Hence, if one takes no learning from life's experiences, one cannot expect anything to change, as the same inputs will result in the same output. It is essential to understand that we may not be able to control all things in life, such as living through a pandemic or financial crisis, but there are still things we can control. There is little point wasting physical and mental time and energy worrying about being in a pandemic, as it changes nothing. Instead, one should utilise the physical and mental energy on something we can control. Examples of things one can control include adapting to home-working, developing a routine, separating home-working from home, and looking at other careers if you cannot work or volunteer.

If one looks at Elite military personnel, nobody would join these units if they believed they had no control over their destiny. In essence, such soldiers would be partaking in the highest-risk activities and assuming that they had no control over the outcome so that most tasks would be pure suicide. However, if such soldiers were so easily expendable, why would anybody join, and governments spend large sums of money on training these people? Such personnel and organisations continually push the boundaries and learn from experiences, which provides a further locus of control for those serving members. Part of the founding ethos for the British Special Air Service (SAS) was and still is to this very day "the unrelenting pursuit of excellence".


Optimism

Resilience in the face of adversity - Optimism

Like attitude and locus of control, optimism plays a considerable part in the lives of resilient people. After all, if one had just had a negative experience and was not optimistic about learning from that experience and moving forward, then nothing would change. We have very little control over certain events in life, like being born, ageing, or even dying. However, we can profoundly or positively affect far more events and life experiences. One can either choose to focus on things we have little control over, "a pessimistic view", or focus on the things we can change ", an optimistic view". If one lacks optimism, one is never likely to try new things or do anything differently. Again, without optimism, nobody would even consider attempting an elite or special forces training course and view it as impossible, even though it is clear that other people have completed such courses.


Self-Awareness (Physical and Emotional Awareness)

Resilience in the face of adversity - Self-Awareness

Physical and psychological self-awareness is particularly essential within the elite military and special forces environments, as teams tend to be small, and a problem can impact the effectiveness and safety of the entire team. Self-awareness can make the difference between life and death. For example, being able to spot the signs and symptoms associated with hyperthermia and hypothermia early on can save one's life or those around them. Many elite-level athletes are also extremely attuned to their bodies and minds, as are most resilient people. Lacking self-awareness can lead to both physical, emotional and mental health-related problems. Self-awareness helps one understand when things are not quite right or "normal". If one just mindlessly ploughs through life with no self-awareness, one can easily miss the early signs of something being seriously wrong, physical, emotional or psychological. Even if one subconsciously notices telltale signs of a problem and ignores them, one is usually heading for severe and sometimes catastrophic failure. Such a failure may prove to be a life-changing event in some cases. Hence, it is essential to self-reflect and assess how everything feels (physically, emotionally and psychologically) from time to time and to study why things are feeling the way they are. When things seem "abnormal", one can explore why via an external intervention or professional help. There are various techniques for helping to develop self-awareness, such as meditation, mindfulness and yoga. The author is continuously surprised that relatively few patients have much self-awareness concerning how their bodies feel daily and what is "normal" and not "normal". Equally, many people appear unaware that their body is exhibiting signs of stress, yet they don't feel stressed. Many people are more aware of the need to maintain a car, house, bike, or anything other than their body, health, and well-being. Hence, education is crucial to the author's daily clinical work.


Sense of Humour

Resilience in the face of adversity - Sense of Humour

A sense of humour is another tenet from David Sterling, one of the founders of the British Special Air Service (SAS). Resilient people who work in jobs with extremes of pleasant and unpleasant experiences tend to have a good sense of humour. Humour within the Military and first responders may seem "dark" or slightly "warped" to those who have not worked in such fields. Having a sense of humour can be critical when a situation is terrible or appears hopeless and can provide a great way of adding perspective. For example, in the recent pandemic, getting a haircut or buying a particular pair of shoes may have been impossible, but what is the worst likely outcome in such a situation? On operations, soldiers may not be able to wash, shave or change their clothes for weeks, have access to food, water or shelter and be at constant risk of injury or death. Yet, military personnel can laugh at such situations and all they entail. If you cannot laugh at how bad a situation is and what could make it even worse, even if that happens, you are done physically and psychologically. Staff within the NHS, Emergency Services and Military all need a sense of humour to deal with the sometimes extreme events and experiences they encounter regularly. Hence, rather than concentrating on what you don't have, it is better to laugh about what you do and how things could be worse.


Social Support Network

Resilience in the face of adversity - Social Support Network

Resilient individuals also have a good social support network, which typically is not hugely extensive. The social support network may consist of a relatively small group of friends and family members. Such groups are suitable for sharing experiences, learning, self-development and discussing specific issues or problems. Tight-knit social support networks also tie in with a good sense of humour and aspects of self-awareness. Elite and special forces teams tend to have a sense of humour in abundance and operate in relatively small, highly diverse and bonded teams. Such bonds are forged through a combination of selection processes, general training, training exercises, operational deployments and social activities. There are probably few social networks that know for a fact the others within the group would or have put their life on the line for other group members. Equally, good friends are totally dependable

It is fair to say that if you don't know who your "real friends" are, then you will soon find out during a crisis. "Real friends" step up to the plate in difficult times and are there for you. Many people talk a good game, but invariably, when times get tough, the tough talkers get going. All the talkers are unreliable during the good times and absent through the bad times. These are the exact type of people who tend to fail the elite and special forces selection courses and always have many excuses as to why they failed, and it is never their fault. High-performance teams require implicit trust to operate effectively, and if one cannot accept or admit one's failings, then there can be no trust. Hence, one can invest time in self-interested people who can metaphorically "suck the life out of you" or invest time in like-minded dependable people. Equally, as humans, we tend to be risk-averse. A small core group of friends reduces risks physically and psychologically when things go wrong, as the group is dependable and everybody has everybody's back.


Spirituality

Resilience in the face of adversity - Spirituality

Spirituality does not have to mean having religious beliefs or faith, though this is one of many forms of spirituality. Resilient people also have a clear spiritual aspect in their day-to-day life. Spirituality could merely be feeling at one with the world, understanding one's place, or how one lives one's life. Spirituality can provide focus and meaning to one's life and help drive one forward. One could also view spirituality simply as a sense of purpose or calling. A sense of purpose also adds structure, routine, and focus to our daily lives, vital for physical and mental well-being. In times of crisis, it is possible to lose a sense of purpose and, thus, everything that entails. It is vitally important to have some perceived purpose, even if that changes.


So why might resilient people exhibit such Characteristics?

There has always been a considerable amount of debate relating to "nature", genetic-related characteristics, and "nurture" in how experiences shape our behaviour. The author can relate to many of the characteristics attributed to resilient people and believes that "nurture" has played an enormous part in developing these characteristics in himself. That said, one can never rule out what impact nature has had either. Interestingly, if one analyses the characteristics attributed to resilient people, one will see common physiological processes at work involving hormones, specifically neurotransmitters.


Neurotransmitters and characteristics of resilient people?

Hormones play a huge and vitally important role in the general day-to-day functioning of the human body. Neurotransmitters, Dopamine, Endorphins, Oxytocin and Serotonin significantly impact our physical and mental well-being. In many respects, these hormones provide physical and psychological well-being protection in times of uncertainty and stress. Curiously, those people deemed resilient have developed or adopted characteristic behaviours that tap into these protective neurotransmitters. It would be interesting to know whether such characteristics in resilient people developed subconsciously or in other ways. Many of these hormones can be addictive, and that could certainly reinforce the adopted behaviours of resilient people. Individuals can also gain the protective benefits of such hormones on physical and mental well-being. Even if intimacy is not an option for everybody, positive social interactions should be, and other activities can stimulate the production of such hormones.

Neurotransmitters (Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin, Endorphins)

  • Serotonin (exercise, diet, sunlight (bright light)
  • Dopamine (diet, exercise, sunlight (bright light)
  • Oxytocin (love hormone), intimacy and positive social interactions)
  • Endorphins (exercise, intimacy, laughter, diet)

The relevance of diet/resources

Resilience in the face of adversity - Relevance of Diet

The human body is extremely good at efficiently controlling the availability and amounts of resources used in homeostasis, including hormone levels. However, sometimes there are relatively narrow tolerances within which our body can safely operate, such as temperature, blood PH, blood sugar and glucose levels. The use of limited resources within the body will vary based on what one is facing, and this is why diet can play such a massive part in our physical and mental well-being. Our diet effectively provides the building blocks for processes the body needs to perform as part of homeostasis. Physical and psychological stress will both utilise more of the body's resources. (see the stress-related article part 2). These resources will need replacing, regardless of perceived resilience levels. Nutrition is a vast topic, and although the author has enough knowledge to meet his needs, he cannot do the topic justice. Hence, for nutritional advice, it is best to seek an adequately qualified nutritionist, preferably not somebody who has just done a module on nutrition as part of another qualification. However, the key takeaway (no pun intended) is that research has demonstrated that some food types can increase various levels of hormones, though too much of anything can be dangerous. Equally, a junk food diet does not help in dealing with stressful situations (see part three of the stress-related article and diet).


The article was written by Terry Davis MChiro, GradCertMentHlth, BSc. (Hons), Adv. Dip. Rem. Massag., Cert. WHS.

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About the Author

As of December 31st 2020, the author chose to leave the Chiropractic profession due to a planned move back to Australia, where his training and education are not recognised. Terry no longer works as a Chiropractor and works as a Myotherapist in Morningside, Brisbane. He developed an early interest in soft tissue therapy and Myofascial Release Techniques and that interest has continued to develop since 2006. Terry's interests in human performance and trauma have naturally led to him developing a specialism in treating work and sports-related musculoskeletal injuries and Chronic Pain symptoms.

The author possesses an unusual background for somebody who trained in the McTimoney Chiropractic technique. His education, training, and practical experience span over two decades and relate to health's physical and mental aspects. He also needed to push his body and mind to the limits of physical and psychological endurance as part of his time serving in Britain's elite military forces. His education includes a bachelor of science degree in Business Management, with a specialisation in psychology and mental health in the workplace, an Integrated Masters in Chiropractic, MChiro and a multitude of soft-tissue therapy qualifications (see the about section for more details). His soft tissue qualifications range from certificate level right through to a BTEC Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Clinical Sports and Remedial Massage Therapy. He has also taught as a senior course coach at the Advanced Diploma level (Myotherapy / Musculoskeletal Therapy) in Australia, both theoretical and practical aspects, including advanced Myofascial Release Techniques and has certification in training and assessment. Terry will have taught many of the first students to train as Myotherapists in Brisbane. Terry's combination of knowledge through education, training, elite military service, and personal injury history has paid dividends for the patients he sees and has treated over the last 16 years. Terry is still extremely active and enjoys distance running, kayaking, mountain biking and endurance-type activities.