The wider definition of vulnerability is something that cannot withstand the environment it is in. So, if you were to put up a building that is liable to blow down in high winds, then you might say that it is vulnerable. This term is also used to convey a sense of emotional, social or cognitive fragility in people. However, unlike a building that might blow down and be completely destroyed, vulnerable humans are often able to bounce back. In other words, their susceptibility is often limited to certain emotive states or social situations. What's more, anyone can be vulnerable at certain times in their lives, no matter how much
resilience they might usually have. So, some vulnerabilities are innate or permanent, such as when people with limited cognitive abilities are born or suffer a
trauma. In contrast, others are impermanent and come from heightened emotional states, such as the fragility you might feel as a result of a bereavement, for example.
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