Learning to live with a disability is a huge adjustment. You need to process your new circumstances and adapt your life the best you can.
Disability is challenging, and you need a network of friends and family to support you through it. Over time, you will process your disability and learn how to manage it.
Here are a few tips on how to live with your disability if you’re not used to it.
Take your time
You can’t rush this process. You need to give yourself time to come to terms with the disability and get acquainted with it. You need to learn about your disability and adapt to the changes in your body.
Try not to put pressure on yourself to accept it and move on. Accept the weight of this life event and let yourself process it for a while. It’s okay to feel uncomfortable, sad or angry at your disability.
Learn to accept it
After a while, you can gradually start to accept your disability and come to terms with it. Acceptance can take years – decades, even. You could reach out to other people with a similar disability and ask them about their experience. Talking to others who have accepted their disability can help you to do the same.
Talk to a professional
Ask a professional for help, whether it’s a therapist or doctor. The mental implications of having a disability can be enormous. It’s important to speak to a professional and share your concerns and thoughts. Talking about your disability can help you to accept it over time.
Make changes
Whether you have a physical or mental disability, you will probably need to make some changes to your house. If you have a wheelchair now, you could make your home more accessible with lifts and ramps.
Try to make it as easy as possible for you to get around your space – after all, it is your home. You could invest in a wheelchair accessible car so you can get out and about more easily. It’s important to socialise, get outside and pay attention to your mental wellbeing.
Your personal space needs to feel as comforting and relaxing as possible. It can be stressful and overwhelming to process a disability. You need a safe place to relax so you can rest and process the situation.
Take some time to process your disability and seek help if you need it.
