by McKenzie Stalkenburg
Are you struggling with an injury? If so, you probably feel a little hopeless at the minute, and not sure what to do to make these negative feelings go away. You can cope when you’re injured, but you really need to adjust your goals to ensure you’re not expecting too much of yourself during this time.
Below, we have 7 ways to cope when you’re struggling with an injury. Take a look, and you might be able to change your outlook.
Plan Your Downtime Well
Some people say that an injury is the world’s way of telling you that you need to slow down. You may or may not agree, but one thing that can definitely help you to feel better is planning your downtime well. Don’t just lounge around in your pyjamas feeling sorry for yourself. Why not watch that series you’ve had on your list for a while, read a book, or start a free online course to learn a new language?
2. Stay In Touch With Family and Friends
Don’t lose touch with family and friends. They can be a powerful support group for you and talk through any worries or fears you might have. This is especially important if you can’t really leave the house, as you will get more visitors and feel less lonely.
3. Get Any Help You Need Sooner Rather Than Later
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It isn’t noble, and you may just be making things worse for yourself. You can visit Cross Border Law to get some advice if you need it. However, you may also need psychological help, in which case a counselor or a therapist may be able to help you. Don’t wait. Both your physical and mental health are extremely important, and there are services out there that can help you with both.
4. Focus On Living As Healthily As You Can
Make sure you don’t use your injury as an excuse to eat junk all day. Focus on living as healthily as you can and you’ll not only feel better, you’ll likely heal faster, too. Eat green foods and fill your body with nutrients. Depending on your injury, you might even be able to get a little exercise, although you’ll want a professional opinion first.
5. Don’t Get Into Bad Habits
It can be tough when you’re injured and feel a bit sorry for yourself, but avoid bad habits. Try to stay in a bit of a routine, rather than sleeping till the afternoon, eating rubbish, and taking up smoking/drinking. These things might make you forget in the short term, but they are making things much worse in the long term.
6. Try To Do Things You Enjoy
Make sure you do the things you like to do, whether that’s paint, read, play an instrument, or something else.
7. Keep A Positive Mindset
A positive mindset will help you to heal faster, even if you don’t believe it at first. Try visualization - look up a YouTube video to help you if you’re not sure how to do it. It can make a massive difference!