Even with great inventions like power wheelchairs and geri chair recliners, dealing with paralysis can be a very difficult and even depressing time for people. It doesn’t matter if you were born paralyzed or it happened through some sort of accident, it can still be very hard to feel so different and restrained by your situation. One thing that is important to keep in mind is that just because you sit in a pedal wheelchair of some kind, does not mean you are the only one that feels this way. You don’t have to be paralyzed to be held back from reaching your dreams and aspirations, there are people who are experiencing some sort of ailment or disease that inhibits them from reaching their full potential and then there are those who simply are holding themselves back. Here are some suggestions how to cope with paralysis as well as any other situation that may be confining you to a certain way of life.
- Be Honest
This is an important first step for anyone. Be genuine and real with how you are feeling, with other people as well as yourself. You don’t need to pretend that you are having a great day if it’s a bad one. It’s important to be grateful for what you have, such as power wheelchairs or even the fact that you have your life, but don’t feel guilty for having moments of despair and more importantly, don’t bottle them up. Make sure that you can be honest and this will help you to deal with each feeling as it comes instead of ignoring it until you explode. If you cannot be honest with yourself or with others than you cannot help yourself and others can not be there for you. People do not want you to feel alone and when you are honest, they can be there for you and show you that you are not alone; that you are loved and cared for, no matter what. - Reach Out
Find other people that are going through the same thing as you. Building relationships with other that are paralyzed or are in geriatric chairs for one reason or another will make you feel like less of an outcast. Something about hanging out with other people that are power wheelchairs makes you feel less normal and more hopeful regarding your life. There are support groups specifically for recently paralyzed people in order to help with the feelings that come along with the change of life. - Keep Planning
Don’t stop making plans. Before you were paralyzed you probably had goals regarding family, career and more. Don’t give those up. Depending on what you had planned, you may have to tweak your goals a little, but keep on planning. Keep trying to reach for a higher and better quality of life. With inventions like power wheelchairs and other handicap accessible areas, there is nothing holding you back but yourself. Find new things to do from enjoyable exercise techniques to hobbies and other ways of obtaining a good life for yourself with things that you will love to do. - Take it Day by Day
Especially if you have only recently become paralyzed, you will need to take each day as it comes. Yes, plan for the future but live for today. Take it day by day, even hour by hour if you must. Whatever helps to get through each day happy and content with life. You will have bad times but if you look with despair at the rest of your life, you will never be able to rise out of the depression. However, if you take each day as it comes, it will be easier. If you have a bad day, then go through it how you must, but make a decision not to have a bad day tomorrow.
There are still so many opportunities open to you. There are more than two million new wheelchairs users every single year and more and more businesses are opening career options for them. You are most definitely not alone, there are many people in your situation; some can help you rise up and prosper through their experiences and then you can, in turn help others to do the same thing.