Health Restoration
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There are approximately 290 million people in the U.S. who suffer from disabling conditions affecting their ability to function fully. There are things one can do to maximize their recovery, acquire hope and restore their health far beyond what they imagined. When one learns to change their focus from negative emotions to positive emotions, and from lack of ability to ability, and from what they cannot do to what they can do, they will bring about higher levels of function and life fulfillment.
Return to Work
Returning to work; gainful and productive employment following a disabling injury or disease is one aspect of a patient’s life that we can help them succeed. Return to work is a challenge that most individuals who have become chronically ill, are coping with disease, or have sustained an injury, encounter at one time or another or potentially on an ongoing basis. There is ample literature available that documents that the longer an individual is out of work following an illness or injury, the less likely he or she will return to work. In addition, the individual who does not return to work is often found to have increased disability and medical costs, increased emotional and financial stress, poor self esteem, higher likelihood of depression and lower levels of function. All of these factors are negative and can lead to a life focus of disease and disability. This can lead to a snowball effect of cascading health problems.
Therefore, the important thing is that a patient does try to work. Working will bring about a change in focus and bring about positive feelings of accomplishment, optimism, hope, confidence, strength and joy. Working provides an opportunity to turn feelings of self-pity, boredom, loneliness and depression into positive energy. For many, a work at home business may be the perfect solution, they have the freedom and flexibility to earn income and focus on their health, while keeping busy doing something they love. Network marketing opportunities are often a solution and as the industry continues to grow, so do the opportunities!
Striving, not just Surviving
For an individual coping with a new or chronic injury or illness, it is important for them to have a work-related goal, whether it is related to finances, success or finding work that they enjoy and feel fulfilled while doing. For everyone, it is important to strive, not just survive at work. The more passionate and fulfilled one is in their work or career, typically, the more successful they may become. Here are some tips for striving in the workplace when coping with a medical condition.
1) Don’t let your illness define who you are. You define who you are. The message you want to portray is that your condition is just a card in your deck of cards. Having a chronic illness or condition is neither a source of shame or pride.
2) Focus on what you can control. You may not be able to control the disease or symptoms, but you can control the direction you take and the choices you make regarding working and your condition. Shape your work environment to meet your needs and to fit your limitations. Consider home network marketing.
3) Thrive in your environment. Work with your abilities to achieve success, raise the bar, go for satisfaction not just survival. Use visualization to imagine the work environment that you need and want, stay focused and intend it.
4) Focus on the positive. Workplace success when dealing with a chronic illness or condition can be strengthening and transforming. Many new strengths, skills, qualities and confidence we were not aware we possessed evolve or blossom as a result of our illness.
5) Take advantage of information to improve your situation.
Definition of Disability
Federal law defines a "Disability" as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits or restricts the condition, manner, or duration under which an average person in the population can perform a major life activity, such as walking, seeing, hearing speaking, breathing, learning, working, or taking care of oneself. However, an impairment or diagnosis, in and of itself, does not necessarily constitute a disability: it must "substantially limit" these activities.” Another definition describes disability as any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being.
Many patients shun at the term or label of being “disabled”. Disability infers that they may have an “in” ability to do something, or they lack the ability to do something, that the person is not able or less than whole. When outwardly and inwardly they know that they are capable of many wonderful things, sometimes they may just need to do things differently or with accommodations. Please consider the term “dif-abled”.
Definition of Difability
A Difability means an individual can perform specific functions or activities, but does them differently than a normal person would. That such an individual requires accommodations, but with these accommodations is equally effective and productive as a normal, health individual. Difabled individuals have different abilities, not a lack of abilities.
If a patient is coping with a serious condition, in order for them to succeed, it is critical that they do accept their limitations, identify them, be open about them and work within them. They must be hopeful in their approach to function and change their focus and their thoughts from those that focus on their “lack of ability” or “Disability to their “different ability” or Difability. That is the difference between continued limitations and possibilities. Once a patient can accept their difabilities and learn to work within them, they can achieve success and thrive in any environment that supports them. They can now achieve things that they until recently thought were impossible.
Four Variables of Functional Impairment
When we look at the clinical factors, life factors and injury or illness factors, I have found that typically, there are four variables that determine an individual’s functional limitations or difability level. They include:
1) Medical condition. These are the specific physical or emotional manifestations and characteristics of a specific disease or condition and their impact on function. In order to have physical or emotional limitations as with a chronic illness or addictive disease, one must have a medical condition that results in the impairment of function.
2) Individual physical characteristics. These characteristics may include age, sex, chronicity of the condition, genetic factors, other medical factors such as co-existing medical conditions or any other factor that may affect the rate or course of healing.
3) External support system. This includes friends, family, finances, work opportunities and any other factor that may provide external assistance for the individual coping with a chronic condition.
4) Resilience. This is the individual’s own ability to bounce back when faced with a challenge. This is how well a person adapts to adverse situations or events. Resilience reflects the individual’s ability to learn from the situation as opposed to practicing blame.
By changing one’s focus from lack to one of ability, to changing the way one thinks about who they are and what they can achieve, they change from being “disabled” to “differently-abled”, they go from focusing on lack to not focusing on lack, and they ultimately move forward to lead much more successful and full filling lives.
Although a patient may not be able to directly influence their medical condition, their individual characteristics such as sex or age or genetics, they can seek external support from support groups, books and lessons. Ultimately, there are ways for a patient to learn to become more resilient and advance their recovery.
About the Author
Nicole Matoushek, MPH, PT has 15 years of experience in clinical managed care and disability management. She is founder of ErgoRehabinc.com. Nicole has broken the disability cycle herself while battling Myasthenia Gravis and several other autoimmune diseases. She has authored two books "Acquired Hope: A Journey of Advanced Recovery and Empowerment" and "365 Days of Abundant Hope" both available on amazon.com Nicole lives each day in hope and is dedicated to helping other succeed in obtaining abundant health and a fuller life! www.acquiredhope.com
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