How to Cope With a Disability
Knowing how to cope with a disability can be an incredible challenge. Typically having a disability means it will be harder and take longer to perform certain activities, and it might make doing certain things impossible. Nobody wants to live that way, but there are ways to reduce the frustration and difficulty of dealing with a disability. Here are some tips for how to cope with a disability:
1) Allow yourself time to grieve about your disability. If you’ve recently become disabled, know that it will take time to come to terms with it. You will go through a grieving process and you just need to allow that process to take place. Seek help from therapists who can counsel you through it. Lean on friends or family who are able to be there for you, but be sure that you don’t take it out on them because they are probably trying to figure out how to cope with your disability as well.
2) Get the help you need. These days, you can hire help for almost anything you can dream up. Whether you need assistance with personal care like bathing and dressing, or if you simply want some help with running errands and doing housework, a home care agency is usually the place to go. Some home care agencies like CareVITA Home Care offer a full range of services so that you can enjoy the convenience of dealing with one company for all of your needs. Learning how to cope with a disability is a lot easier when you have help.
3) Exercise everyday. Depending on your disability, there might be physical activities that you can’t perform, but it is highly unlikely that you can’t do something physical. Create an exercise routine that works for you and engage in it every day. This will keep you physically and mentally strong, and it will lift your spirits and boost your confidence, all of which will help you cope with your disability.
4) Keep your sense of humor in check. It can be difficult to handle the way people treat you if you have a disability. In many cases, people just don’t know how to act toward disabled people and they might make patronizing or belittling comments without even realizing it. Humor always diffuses stress, so it is a good way to handle these types of situations. Plus, laughter and a simple smile can do wonders to lift your spirits.
5) Be open to strategies and equipment that can make your life easier. There are so many devices and equipment available these days to help people with disabilities. Take advantage of them, and be open to new strategies and services that can help you as well. If you are close-minded about things like this, it can drastically lower the quality of life you can enjoy, and it would be a pity to not even try something that might really help you cope with your disability.
6) Keep working if you can. If you are still able to work in any way, be sure to do it because continuing to mentally challenge yourself is important for knowing how to cope with a disability. It’s easier to be creative nowadays to create a job that would work for you and your disability. For example, there are a lot of jobs that would allow you to work from home, such as writing, marketing, sales, etc. If earning money will detract from your disability benefits, consider volunteering or engaging in a hobby.
Sources:
http://www.wikihow.com/Emotionally-Cope-With-Having-Disabilities
https://www.metlife.com/individual/life-advice/health-issues/dealing-with-disability/index.html
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Disability/Pages/Adjusting.aspx
Photo Credit: freedigitalphotos.net, Praisaeng
