Latest / Wellbeing Solutions - Ask A Counsellor / How do I manage the emotional impact of living with a disability?
Transcript
- 0:00SPEAKER_00: How do I manage the emotional impact of living with a disability?
- 0:05SPEAKER_00: Learning to live with a disability will inevitably come with a change in both of our external worlds and our internal worlds.
- 0:14SPEAKER_00: This podcast focuses on our emotional inner world and how we can start to adapt to the changes.
- 0:21SPEAKER_00: So disability comes with a loss.
- 0:24SPEAKER_00: It's a loss of a previous life where you never had to think about mobility or how you were going to do some simple thing or things that others take for granted.
- 0:34SPEAKER_00: How we see ourselves changes, both how we can appear to others physically in some cases and how we feel about ourselves inside.
- 0:46SPEAKER_00: One of the first things to address emotionally is loss.
- 0:50SPEAKER_00: So we need to mourn our previous life, and this can look like feeling sad about losing our previous skills and abilities and roles, and realizing that you won't be able to fulfil certain plans or live the life you had expected to live.
- 1:07SPEAKER_00: Those initial emotions felt with grief can be anger, shock, denial and sadness.
- 1:13SPEAKER_00: These can come in waves without reason or be triggered by frustration when you have to do something differently or you can't do something.
- 1:23SPEAKER_00: If your identity has previously been based on how you achieve when you achieve things and your productivity, it can be harder then to rebuild that confidence and self-worth and base it on who you are, not what you can do.
- 1:40SPEAKER_00: That's certainly good to get support with that.
- 1:43SPEAKER_00: Reframing is an invaluable tool, and learning how to do this will be at the root of managing your emotions.
- 1:50SPEAKER_00: And this reframing will mean focusing on things that you still have control over and focusing on achievable goals.
- 1:59SPEAKER_00: Rebuilding independence and confidence will involve also achieving, making well setting yourself small goals every day, but building them up until you feel that you've you're doing the best that you can do, and then being accepting of that self-compassion coming into play too.
- 2:18SPEAKER_00: So make sure that you're exploring exploring all options around tech and mobility aids to make life easier for yourself if necessary, so that you can focus on thriving rather than just surviving, which is something that we can be prone to initially.
- 2:35SPEAKER_00: So reducing anxiety around unknowns and uncontrollable factors is important, and this can be achieved by making sure you have as much certainty in every day as possible, which starts with a routine.
- 2:49SPEAKER_00: Being in control of what you do and when you do it aids a sense of independence and autonomy.
- 2:56SPEAKER_00: Make sure that you express your needs and also boundaries.
- 3:00SPEAKER_00: Become aware of what saps your energy and what gives you energy, and lean into the things that bring you joy and make you feel better.
- 3:08SPEAKER_00: This will mean choosing to say no to some things and to new things you've never had to say no to before, but also saying yes to things that you've never had to, such as taking offers of support from others and accepting them, or yes to trying new things that you've never potentially thought about before.
- 3:30SPEAKER_00: Just remember if the emotional burden becomes too much at times and that's okay, please do not deal with it on your own.
- 3:37SPEAKER_00: So reach out to a professional or disability informed therapist or call the Samaritans on 116-123 or the NHS 111 who give 24 7 mental health support.
- 3:50SPEAKER_00: Please also call emergency services immediately if you have hurt yourself on 999.
- 3:57SPEAKER_00: But I hope this information and guidance has been helpful.
- 4:00SPEAKER_00: Please take care and reach out for support if you need to.
- 4:04SPEAKER_00: Thank you.