If you’ve been through these 8 soul-crushing hardships, psychology says you’re mentally stronger than 95% of people

There’s a certain power that comes from overcoming adversity: The hardships you’ve faced, the battles you’ve fought, they all culminate in making you who you are.

Psychology suggests that the more trials you’ve been through, the stronger you become mentally.

It’s not about just any trials; we’re talking about soul-crushing, earth-shattering hardships.

In this article, we’ll discuss eight such experiences that, according to psychology, make you mentally stronger than 95% of people.

Here’s the kicker: If you’ve been through these, not only are you a rockstar survivor, but you’ve also likely honed some incredible mental resilience.

Are you part of the top 5% with mental fortitude? Well, let’s find out:

1) You’ve faced severe loss

Loss is a part of life—it’s a universal experience that everyone, at some point, has to go through—but when it’s a severe loss, it can feel like your world is falling apart.

Dealing with the death of a loved one, enduring a painful breakup, or losing a job can be soul-crushing.

These are experiences that push us to our limits and force us to confront our deepest fears and insecurities.

The thing about hardships is that they make us stronger; if you’ve been through such a loss and managed to come out the other side, you’ve exhibited a level of mental strength that many people simply don’t have.

You’ve shown resilience and courage in the face of adversity—traits that contribute towards making you mentally stronger than 95% of people.

While such a loss might have been soul-crushing at the time, take solace in the fact that it’s likely made you a stronger person.

2) You’ve battled with mental health challenges

Mental health struggles can be a silent, invisible battle. It’s a war within the mind, a war I personally know all too well.

A few years ago, I was diagnosed with severe anxiety—it was like living under a constant dark cloud that I couldn’t escape from.

Every day was a struggle as I grappled with racing thoughts, sleepless nights, and panic attacks.

Through therapy and self-care, I learned to manage my anxiety and regain control of my life.

Here’s the thing about living with a mental health condition: It’s an ongoing battle that forces you to develop coping mechanisms and resilience. You learn to navigate through life differently, and that creates mental strength.

As psychologist Viktor Frankl said, “What is to give light must endure burning.”

It’s a powerful reminder that difficulties and struggles are often the path to becoming stronger and more resilient.

If you’ve battled with mental health challenges like I have, you’ve likely developed an inner strength that sets you apart from many others.

You’ve faced your demons head-on and come out stronger on the other side.

3) You’ve lived through financial hardship

Financial hardships can be a real test of character.

It’s a kind of stress that seeps into every corner of your life, making even the simplest of tasks feel like uphill battles.

I recall a time in my life when I was buried deep in overwhelming debt.

The constant worry, the sleepless nights wondering how to pay the next bill—it was an experience that tested me to my core.

But, as I clawed my way out of debt, I learned some invaluable lessons in humility, perseverance, and resilience.

It taught me that the hardships we face aren’t permanent but our response to them can shape us permanently.

If you’ve survived the crushing weight of financial hardship and emerged stronger, you’ve displayed an incredible amount of mental toughness.

4) You’ve overcome a physical health crisis

Having your health compromised is a life-altering experience. It’s a moment that makes you question your mortality and how fragile life truly is.

I have a close friend who battled cancer.

It was a terrible time, filled with fear and uncertainty, but he faced his illness with incredible bravery and willpower, inspiring everyone around him.

As he fought his battle, he embodied the words of psychologist William James, “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”

He chose positivity over despair, resilience over surrender.

If you’ve overcome a physical health crisis, you’ve demonstrated an exceptional level of mental strength.

The sheer resilience it takes to fight back against illness is evidence of your mental fortitude, making you mentally stronger than 95% of people.

5) You’ve survived trauma

Trauma can shake us to our very core, leaving us feeling broken and lost. It’s a deeply distressing and damaging experience that can have long-lasting effects.

But surviving trauma also has the potential to foster incredible strength. It forces us to confront our darkest fears and deepest pains, and in doing so, we often discover a resilience we didn’t know we possessed.

If you’ve survived trauma and managed to rebuild your life, you’ve shown an exceptional level of mental strength.

Your ability to overcome such adversity is a testament to your mental fortitude.

6) You’ve endured failure

Failure is a tough pill to swallow. It can leave us feeling defeated and demotivated.

I remember a time when I failed a significant project at work. It was a huge blow to my confidence but, as I picked up the pieces, I realized the power of failure.

It’s not an endpoint, but rather a stepping stone towards success. In retrospect, that failure taught me more than any success ever could have.

Failure is a means to an end and it’s through failure that we learn, grow, and become stronger.

7) You’ve experienced chronic stress

Stress, especially chronic stress, is usually seen as a negative thing. It can leave you frazzled, decrease your productivity, and even impact your health.

Here’s where it gets counterintuitive: Experiencing chronic stress can also make you mentally stronger.

It forces you to learn coping strategies and resilience, which are key components of mental strength; if we learn to manage it effectively, stress can actually become a tool for growth.

If you’ve managed to navigate the stormy seas of chronic stress and come out stronger, you’ve demonstrated a level of mental resilience that sets you apart.

8) You’ve overcome addiction

Addiction is a battle that leaves a deep imprint on your life and I’ve seen this first-hand with a close friend who fought a tough battle with alcohol addiction.

Yet, overcoming addiction can build incredible mental strength—it’s a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and profound personal growth.

Psychologist Carl Jung said, “I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”

Overcoming addiction is a testament to this quote.

Beating an addiction shows how you’ve displayed an immense level of mental strength, setting you apart from 95% of people.

In conclusion: It’s all about resilience

The human spirit’s ability to endure and bounce back from hardships is a testament to our inherent strength.

Each of the soul-crushing hardships we’ve discussed in this article carry with them a powerful lesson: They force us to tap into a reservoir of mental fortitude we may not have even known we possessed.

If you’ve been through any of these trials and emerged on the other side, know that you’ve developed a level of mental strength that sets you apart.

You’re part of the 5% that has faced adversity and grown stronger because of it.

Take a moment to reflect on your journey and the strength you’ve garnered; use it as fuel to continue growing, learning, and facing whatever life throws your way with resilience and grace.

After all, it’s these experiences that shape us into who we are, making us mentally stronger than 95% of people.