Hi!
I have a big problem. How does an amputee pass through emotional pain, stress, grief and depression? As you all know - doctors, friends and family all pass through this phase of grief and share their sympathy with the person after amputation. But few persons could really understand the mindset of the person who is undergoing this trauma. How the hell can they?
I want to share with you what happens after this painful and traumatic episode - It will come out from my own personal and firsthand experience.
There are three phases of emotional pain of amputees.
1) Non-Acceptance - The First Stage Of Emotional Pain After Amputation: This stage begins right from the day of trauma or accident and persists for a few weeks to several weeks. In this stage, initially, no amputee can accept the reality in his heart.
He is in a kind of friggin' shock that is felt commonly when loved ones die. We know that he is gone but we don't want to believe the fact. Maybe this phase might be to safeguard the amputee from sudden rush of emotional grief and depression and it acts like a mental and emotional cushion.
This is the stage when the amputees gets the greatest support and sympathy and attention of family, friends and medical staff. Gradually as days pass, the amputee accepts it and then second phase appears.
This stage is always with us! 2) The Emotional Phase - Anger, Anxiety, Grief, Depression, Stress or in other words just being pissed right off. : In the second phase, the amputee has to accept the fact at an emotional level. And there starts another phase of mental trauma. Amputees find it the most difficult phase and it might last from several weeks to months and sometimes many years.
There is phenomenal stress, the mind undergoes anger, frustration, fear, uncertainty, embarrassment, regret, worry, grief and depression. Gradually the amputee learns to accept this fact in his heart and begins to overcome emotional conditions and tries to start life with this new reality.
3) The Stage Of Physical And Mental Rehabilitation:
This is the stage of physical and mental rehabilitation. This is the stage that rehab is supposed to help. In my case the physiotherapist had never seen an amputee let alone knowing what to do for me. Useless. However, we still begin to adjust our life after amputation. New hope is rekindled. Sometimes new hope is rekindled. We learn physical skills to cope with this situation. The confidence should be building up in newer and better ways as we begin our lives In different mode and we gains momentum and direction from inside.
Management Of Emotional Pain Of Amputees:
1) Medical And Surgical Help: This is obviously the first and life saving aid. Painkillers, antibiotics and other drugs under qualified medical, surgery and nursing staff are important. In the acute stage, most amputees sometimes get help from anti-anxiety and anti-depressant drugs.
2) Emotional Support: The support of family and friends plays a great role and it has the power to shorten the second stage of mental strife of amputees. The important role of this support is to help overcome the helplessness of amputees. The family should support in a manner that provide full physical support but at the same time should provide emotional support in such a way that amputee might gradually have emotional independence.
3) Physical Rehabilitation: It doesn't merely enable the amputee to gain physical independence but uplifts mind. The new hope emerges and confidence increases.
4) Mental Rehabilitation: This me is the most important by far. Along with physical rehabilitation, some efforts are necessary for full mental, emotional and spiritual rehabilitation. It is evident that medical doctors have limited scope when it comes to this stage and tend to too frequently use drugs to help. But oftentimes it fails miserably. The most effective alternative is through the use of Meditation. It provides a terrific mental and emotional restorative role. Meditation helps the amputees by improving of self-image and self-esteem. Other emotions such as grief, self-denial, pity, depression lack of confidence are gradually restored to normalcy with the help of meditation.
These measures support any person after amputation in a gradual way and brings back the momentum of life in a soothing way. New life begins, new energy and confidence comes in. Life once again becomes full of happenings.
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