Going through some hard times may make people tougher

Los Angeles Times:

During the holidays people can experience an enormous amount of stress, even more so these days with a bad economy thrown in. But a study finds that having some adverse experiences in the past may make you mentally tougher.

A meta-analysis of studies that looked at how traumatic events affect mental health and well-being found a pattern: The number of adverse experiences may determine whether someone becomes more resilient and better able to handle what life throws at him or her. Those on opposite ends of the spectrum — people who had no or few hardships or many adversities — generally had worse coping skills than those who had some bad times, such as a serious illness or injury to themselves or a loved one, a death in the family or a divorce.

Read the full story: Los Angeles Times