Introduction: Following the attacks of November 13, 2015, Santé Publique France launched an epidemiological survey: the Post-Attack Public Health Survey of November 2015 (ESPA November 13). An initial phase was conducted in 2016 and repeated in 2020 to assess the post-traumatic impact of the attacks. It consists of closed-ended and open-ended questions. Here, we present an analysis of the civilian population’s responses to the following open-ended questions: “Would you say that the experience you went through has changed you in any way? Could you explain how?" We compare the responses given in 2016 and 2020. Objective: The aim is to understand the individual impact of the attacks on civilians and how this impact has evolved between 2016 and 2020. Method: Using a qualitative analysis, we compare the results from two different time periods and observe how these responses have evolved. The data consists of short testimonials related to the question of interest and are analyzed using thematic analysis inspired by grounded theory. We analyze the 2016 and 2020 responses independently of one another, then compare the emerging themes. Results: The results highlight the presence of symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, including intrusive symptoms, persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event, altered cognition and mood, changes in arousal and reactivity linked to the traumatic event, significant distress, and sometimes dissociative features. Five years after the attacks, disorders are still present in some of the subjects. Those suffering the most exhibit a rigid profile with no outlook for the future, living day to day and sometimes engaging in associated risky behaviors. The meaning of their existence eludes them. Another group of respondents is attempting to find meaning in their lives. They are seeking new life goals. The process of transforming their sense of self is underway. Finally, for others, whose profiles emerge in the 2020 testimonies, changes have taken place: they have managed to mourn their past lives, what they once were, and to overcome their trauma. They are resilient, and for some, their psychological functioning suggests post-traumatic growth. Conclusion: The psychological impact of the attacks on civilians remains ever-present, with significant manifestations of suffering, but a certain form of adaptation—in the form of resilience, or even post-traumatic growth—is underway for some five years after the November 2015 attacks.