When it comes to illness and injury recovery, the road can be long and stressful. Depending on the scope of the illness, it may take weeks, months, or even years until you’re back to your full self.
That can seem daunting, or even unbearable. But don’t let it defeat you — there are ways to make the recovery easier on yourself, even if it’s taking a lot of time to get there.
When it comes to recovering from illness or a nasty injury, you should follow these pieces of advice. Each of them will make that journey a little less stressful.
1. Be Gentle With Yourself
It might be tempting to blame yourself if things aren’t going fast enough. You might think that you aren’t good enough, or blame yourself for getting ill or injured in the first place.
It’s important to know that you aren’t alone. So many people are recovering from an injury or an illness, and each of them is on their own path. Your body will heal, but it’s working as hard as it can.
Don’t blame yourself for what you perceive as a journey that’s taking too long. Be kind to yourself; never say anything in your head that you wouldn’t say to a friend. You are your own biggest supporter.
Meditation has also been known to be helpful in these situations. A positive mindset can do wonders.
2. Learn All There is to Know
Be a little proactive when it comes to your condition. A healthy recovery involves knowledge, so you should research all there is to know.
Ask medical professionals questions if you have appointments and look at reputable sources on the internet.
Compiling all this knowledge will give you a good idea of what you can expect from your recovery, and just how long it’s going to take. Knowledge is power.
3. Exercise Gently, If You Can
If you can exercise gently, you should do so. Illness and injury recovery is not easy, but it’s important not to wallow in it if you don’t have to.
If it’s possible and safe, go for gentle walks just to get outside, and make sure you’re moving as much as you can to keep the blood flowing.
This may not be possible for you depending on your condition, or it may take a while to get there — that’s okay! Ultimately, you should follow the advice medical professionals have given you.
If they say it’s going to be a few weeks before you can exercise, then wait it out and look forward to the day you can go for those gentle strolls through the neighborhood.
4. Be Realistic With Your Goals
When you’ve looked into your injury or illness, be sure to be realistic with your goals. If reputable sources are citing a six-month recovery period, then don’t try to be back to normal within four weeks.
You might be missing work or school, or feel that you’re getting behind. You might be missing activities with friends or family.
These things will still be there for you when you’re better. By pushing yourself too hard, you’re only likely to prolong the recovery period, and be distressed when you can’t reach the goals you’ve set for yourself.
Don’t set yourself up for disappointment.
5. Use All the Support Necessary
Use all the support you have available!
Some people feel too bad to ask their family or friends for assistance, convinced they can manage on their own. This is another thing that can prolong recovery.
If you feel you need more support than family and friends can offer, consider checking out short term rehabilitation facilities. They’re equipped to help you through the recovery and give you as much assistance as you need during the most difficult parts.
6. Don’t Push Yourself Too Far
In general, don’t push yourself too far. If the exercise you’re doing is starting to cause you pain, stop. If you don’t feel ready to go back to work, don’t.
It’s important you listen to yourself and your own intuition. You know your body best, so don’t push it harder than you need to. You could end up setting yourself back, and this is the last thing you want to happen.
If you’re starting to lose perspective, it’s always worth asking your doctor what they think is appropriate for your condition. They can assess how fast you’re progressing.
7. Make the Recovery Priority
Ultimately, recovery should be your main priority.
There might be other things you’re worried about. Maybe you’re worried about your career falling behind, or your body changing because you can’t work out like you used to. Maybe you’re worried your friends will forget about you, or you’ll lose muscle mass and not be as strong as you used to be.
Insidious thoughts happen when it comes to situations like this — but all of those things are solvable when you’re better.
Every problem will be solved quicker if you do it while healthy. It may be difficult to put some important things on the backburner, but it’s necessary.
Recovering From Illness or Injury is Stressful, So Be Kind to Yourself
Recovering from illness or injury isn’t easy. It may require putting your life on hold, seeking help, being kind to yourself — all things that can be very difficult.
In the end, though, you’ll come out with some great skills. These things only make you stronger in the long run, and it’s essential you remember that even when times are hard during your recovery.
For more life tips and advice you might find helpful, check out the rest of our site.
