Introduction: One year after the attacks of November 13, 2015, Santé publique France, as part of the 13-November program, launched the Post-Attack Public Health Survey of November 2015 (ESPA 13 November) targeting civilians and first responders who were exposed to the events. Among the questions asked in the survey is the one of interest to us: " Would you say that the experience you went through has changed you in any way? Could you explain how?". Objective: The aim is to understand the changes experienced by civilians and first responders and to compare their responses. Method: A thematic analysis is conducted for each of the two groups. The themes are common to both groups but appear to be qualitatively different. The qualitative analysis is supplemented and refined by quantitative data regarding the sociodemographic characteristics of respondents in each group. Results: Some respondents (primarily male responders) do not feel any change. They exhibit specific protective factors. Painful changes at the relational, emotional, and psychological levels primarily impact the civilian female population. Nevertheless, some changes take the form of resilience, or even post-traumatic growth. These involve a process of transformation that involves reclaiming one’s existence (for a quarter of both civilians and responders) as well as a new relationship with the world (among responders who worked on the night of November 13) and with oneself (primarily among civilian women). Conclusion: The impact of the attacks is greater for civilians, and particularly for women. The observed transformation process can lead to positive outcomes, though it does not prevent suffering. It would be advisable to adapt and develop some of the protective factors identified among responders for application to civilian populations.