"Getting sick has been good to me, not bad": understanding the experience of growth in face of adversity

In the literature and public opinion chronic illness is mostly presented as a negative experience. However, this article shows that people can experience their illness also in a positive way. Posttraumatic growth and adversity-activated-development are concepts, which derive from psychology and describe a positive transformation after a challenging lifeevent. People who experience personal growth have an increased appreciation for life and may change their priorities and approach to life. By means of empirical examples of people who have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis the author shows how people positively experience their illness and may grow from this experience. Further the author attempts to answer why some people experience personal growth and development after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, while others struggle with their illness.