The Role of Resilience in Rebuilding Lives of Injured Veterans

The aim of this commentary is to discuss potential clinical implications of introducing resilience
building interventions into care for veterans who are living with a war wound. Some war veterans
are expected to live with a wound upon discharge from an active military role and also to fit into
civilian life. These lifestyle adjustments can tax the person’s coping abilities and in that context may
hinder successful adaptation. The experience of living with a wound or wounds, either acute or
chronic, is connected to losses, including loss of mobility, loss of financial capacity (unable to work
during some of the wound healing period) and losses attached to changed social roles. Psychological
stress is also a common experience for veterans returning to civilian life. Psychological stress is
associated with impaired healing or dysregulation of a biomarker associated with wound healing.
Modern health practice is centred on symptom reduction and working with pathology however,
working with people’s adaptive behaviours such as resilience has not been a consideration. Using
the resilience model as a conceptual framework healthcare professionals can engage with veterans
towards resilience within the context of their personal experience of ill health. Using this
contemporary framework for considering these aspects of care has the potential to facilitate
resistance to stressors associated with being injured potentially averting quality of life impairments.