It’s very easy to talk about injuries and physical setbacks in terms of their more material implications – be that bones that need to be healed, mobility that needs to be regained, and training that needs to take place.
Of course, when it comes to supplying the most important measures such as strengthening muscles, applying custom orthotics, and undergoing strict physical therapy, this is absolutely true. But this approach, while the most pressing, is hardly the sole avenue to consider. The psychological impacts of being injured can persist long after the body is healed, and in some cases, can go entirely unattended to.
Does this mean that we need to visit a psychiatrist before the hospital after encountering an injury? Of course not. But it does mean taking steps to realize and recognize the effects this event may have taken on you, and use healthy steps so that you can recover mentally and even spiritually in the correct way. If you can achieve that, overcoming the psychological impact of injury is possible. Let’s discuss this further, below:
Take It One a Day at a Time
All you ever have to live is one day at a time. You will have bad days, neutral days, and great days during your recovery, and that process is almost never linear. But when you only take it every twenty-four hours and try to get good rest between them, you can psychologically prepare yourself for the challenges – such as heading to physiotherapy, while also celebrating the small wins along the way, such as walking a few more steps than before. This can help you pace yourself, and remember that this is a marathon and not a race.
Join Support Groups
One of the amazing things about the internet and local communities is that there’s something for everyone. Unfortunately, experiencing medical issues and suffering injuries are a universal consideration among many people living today, and most people who have to deal with this as a daily reality are nothing but wonderful. Joining a support group, be that for people newly experiencing hearing loss, or those who may have been injured as part of military deployment, can help you get a sense of perspective, vent, ask questions, and generally feel understood by people who have gone through a similar issue. This helps you stay inspired and motivated, and you may even make worthwhile friends during this journey.
Speak & Write
Some days, you may not want to express yourself at all, but on other days you will. It’s actually quite healthy to do this, because getting your thoughts down on paper, perhaps by recording a video journal only you will see, or writing into your own journal, can help you properly organize your thoughts and begin to process the event and its after effects. This can also be used as aid for your additional counseling sessions, helping you avoid bottling everything up. That way, you’ll be on the road to recovery.
With this advice, we hope you can properly overcome the psychological impact of injury, and have no doubt that with the right priorities in place, this is entirely possible.