Combat the psychological issues that constant pain can produce with these tips.
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about neuropathy is physical pain. It's the main symptom of the condition after all, along with numbness. That’s why combating neuropathy, in many cases, gets reduced to fighting that symptom.
But chronic pain also leads to other issues as the condition becomes a restrictive factor in life. With the loss of stability and balance, many activities become impossible to do.
Being suddenly robbed of the ability to walk, drive, and enjoy sports safely leaves a psychological mark. That kind of powerlessness is hard to handle mentally. Additionally, chronic pain can make you irritable and depressed at the same time.
The psychological impact of neuropathy gets little attention in conventional treatment. Yet, it's a crucial influence on personal wellbeing.
Naturally, alleviating the physical issues and pain will diminish the psychological problems. But neuropathy is an unfortunate health issue one has to live with. This means a particular focus on the mental state is necessary.
Fortunately, there are various methods to deal with the psychological issues of neuropathy. They require self-discipline, consistency, and perseverance, as beneficial things in life often do.
Please take a look at the following eight ideas for dealing with the psychological impact of neuropathy. Hopefully, you'll find them useful, or even life-changing.
1. Understand and Accept Your Condition
People often take one of two different extreme attitudes towards long-term implications. They either try to disregard them or get overwhelmed.
Refusing to delve deeper into your chronic condition is a natural reaction.
A thorough understanding of your condition can help develop a more realistic attitude. This, in turn, can allow you to combat the symptoms more effectively. So take the time to learn what's happening to your body and how that's affecting your mind. By doing so, you can start resolving the issues only when you know exactly what you're dealing with.
There's a natural tendency to not accept the reality of long-lasting hardships. But this only leads to more accumulated stress and fear. Embracing the situation might be challenging and require bravery and soul-searching. However, it will be immeasurably beneficial…
It will transform you from a victim to a fighter.
2. Turn to Others for Support
It can seem too difficult to share your feelings about neuropathy with others. People with health issues can even have an active resistance towards seeking help and support. However, this is an obstacle you should strive to overcome.
Helping your family and friends understand what you're going through will, in turn, help you cope. It’s because other people might have a more effective outlook on the situation. Crucially, they'll give you the emotional support needed to combat the issue.
Besides people close to you, there are other support groups you can join. The idea might seem off-putting to some, as sharing with strangers doesn't come naturally. But keeping in contact with those that understand the struggles can be precious.
Perhaps the highs and lows of living with neuropathy are hard to imagine to those who don't share the condition. That makes support groups the perfect environment for sharing. They'll reinforce the idea that you're not alone.
3. Embrace Positive Thinking
While it can seem minuscule, the way you think about your situation can make all the difference. It's easy to succumb to negative thoughts and concentrate on everything that's gone wrong. But focusing on the positive is a better way to go.
This is directly tied with accepting your condition. When you're ready to accept the reality, you can start seeing everyday issues in a different light. Realizing neuropathy is a permanent condition will bring an awareness of every improvement you make.
For example, you won't wake up thinking about the pain as an unfortunate sensation. Rather, you'll think about ways you can diminish it that day.
Positive thinking is about taking an active role in your life. Accept your condition and focus on your actions towards a better life with it.
4. Identify Your Stress Triggers and Avoid Them
Chronic pain produces stress in itself. It also amplifies any stress coming from other sources. This can then have a deteriorating influence on your mental health.
The good news is you can work to relieve some of the stress.
An important step towards that goal is to treat neuropathy issues as the primary source. Being always aware of the stress caused by neuropathic stress will help you deal with it better. Because when you know what's going on, you can work on the issue.
It's easy to forget the profound influence chronic conditions have on your psychology. But if you are aware of that influence, you can plan how to counteract it.
Also, it's helpful to think about other stress triggers. When you know what those are, it's possible to avoid them. Some frustrating situations are unavoidable, but others aren't. The best advice about combating stress is to know where to expect it and choose your battles.
5. Stay Active
While chronic pain can disrupt your habits and regular activities, the fear of pain is a much more limiting factor. That’s why being overprotective of yourself is not the right choice. In fact, inactivity due to psychological issues will only make them worse.
You should consider exactly what you can and can't do. Be realistic when thinking about potential dangers.
With or without neuropathy, you can perceive many different activities as risky. That doesn't mean you should shy away from things you could realistically be capable of doing.
Knowing your limits helps a lot with staying active. Taking on more than you can handle will only bring frustration and potential injuries. This, however, goes both ways - if you know what you can do, go ahead and do it.
Thinking this way might seem harsh, but taking command of your activities requires some harshness. Self-pity, frustration, depression, and despair are best combated by taking action. And once you know your limits, you'll be successful in doing just that.
6. Seek Professional Help
Sometimes, self-help and even community support won't be enough. It's perfectly natural to have trouble accepting or handling the effects of chronic conditions. A mental health professional can help you deal with this.
People can feel uncomfortable to reach out and find professional help. However, if you adopt a positive, active attitude, you can view this step as another means towards betterment.
Psychology is a complicated field. You might find that a therapist can offer solutions you weren't aware of.
7. Learn to Relax Your Mind and Body
Pain is, in most situations, a useful signal for self-preservation. But when it comes to neuropathy, this function is no longer useful. What remains is the natural instinct that kicks in.
Today, it's known as the Four F's response - fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. And the purpose of this psycho-physical response is to deal with the trauma.
But in chronic conditions, however, the response isn't very practical. It keeps you in a constant state of alertness by default. That's why it's vital to take control of how your body and mind react to neuropathic pain.
There are many methods to calm down. Breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, and practicing mindfulness are just some of them.
Other relaxation techniques focus on stimulating the relaxation response. These are more individual since they rely on endorphin release. The release happens after the pleasure centers in the brain activate.
In essence, simply doing what makes you happy will help calm the body down.
8. Work on Improving Your Sleep
Adequate sleep is very important for overall well-being. However, neuropathy often disrupts the sleep cycle.
While it's difficult to regulate your sleep quickly, there are steps to take towards this.
-
First, you should ensure your current medications aren't contributing to the lack of sleep. Along with this, avoid smoking, caffeine, and alcohol.
-
You shouldn't take long naps during the day. Also, avoid laying down without sleeping if you can. Try to keep your circadian rhythm in balance by going to bed and waking up at the same time.
-
Make your bed as comfortable as possible. This includes choosing the mattress, pillow, and materials that feel best for you.
-
Have a calming evening ritual. Exercise regularly, but not before going to bed. Turn the TV and computer off an hour before sleeping. Instead of indulging in screen time, listen to some serene music. Finally, avoid hot showers in the evening. It’s because deep sleep requires your body to cool down a bit.
Take Control Over Your Life with Neuropathy
There is so much you can do to improve your quality of life. The key lies in your mindset and willingness to improve your condition. And the important point is to ensure you're doing everything you can to that end.
When you start taking control of your conditions, a supplement such as Nervitalize will provide a considerable boost. Made with natural ingredients, Nervitalize alleviates neuropathic pain and benefits nerve regeneration.
With your mind set on success, Nervitalize will be the perfect ally in combating the effect of neuropathy.
Don't wait to make the crucial steps. Take a look at our offers and start making progress today.
Resources:
https://www.foundationforpn.org/2018/07/10/patient-shares-her-peripheral-neuropathy-story/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320839#boosting-endorphins
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/the-fight-flight-freeze-fawn-trauma-responses
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/addiction-and-recovery/202008/understanding-fight-flight-freeze-and-the-fawn-response
https://www.foundationforpn.org/living-well/lifestyle/managing-peripheral-neuropathy/
https://www.apa.org/topics/chronic-pain
https://www.apa.org/topics/pain-management
https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/treatments/complementary/biobehavioral/5-coping-skills-every-chronic-pain-patient-needs
https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/depression/4-tips-help-cope-chronic-pain-and-depression