Disability is the fundamental difficulty in accomplishing things. They can be physical in nature, (inability to walk) sensory, (blindness or deafness) cognitive, (mental retardation) behavioral, (inability to work) or even related to mental health.

 Disabilities can be major impediments to participating in society. For example: A computer is a major requirement for employment these days but people who are blind or handicapped are unable to operate it. While some deaf people are able to engage in normal conversations, they require technologies based on their needs, to watch a simple thing as television. Surviving disabilities are normal life issues.

 Causes of Disability

 Physical or mental health disabilities can develop suddenly, are inborn, or can gradually develop without the person even knowing it. Disability can be genetically predisposed or results due to polluted environment and the changing lifestyles. The cause being sudden it is difficult to come in terms with it.

 Imagine you are leading a normal happy life but a sudden accident leaves you handicapped. It tremendously affects your mental health, as things seem to fall apart. You pose financial crisis as you loose your job and are unable to support your family. This is the hardest time and coping with it is half the battle won.

 Impact of disability

Disabilities can have tremendous psychological effects. Disability means the loss of range of functioning or never to have acquired that functioning in the first place. Disability can lead people to isolate from others. The society being very cruel and clueless ends up treating disabled individuals differently. Grief, loss, helplessness, neglect, self-pity are some of the feelings that cascade into depression and related mental health disorders.

 One possible affect of being disabled is not being able to take simple things for granted and perform daily routine functions effortlessly which otherwise would have been easier to do so. Consciousness and acceptance of disability can help people come out of depression and other mental health states.

 Steps that help you cope with disability

 These are the following steps that will guide you in the right direction. 

• You should come to terms with your illness. The whole world looks upside down when you start believing that life will never be the same. You might loose your friends, as you are unable to socialize with them. This is the time for you to judge who your real friends are. Being disabled should not lessen your spirit. Positive attitude plays a very important role as it helps you overcome your depression and encourages you to live a productive life in spite of the limitations. You can either stay depressed and complain and crib about your disability for the rest of your life or take the most out of it through positive approach.

• Seek help from professional and support groups as they help you to gain strength and make you learn the positive ways to cope up with illness. Friends and family offer good support. You can talk about your discomforts and other mental health problems with them by joining support groups you will come across people with similar problems like yours and thus socializing will help you enrich each other’s life.

• Try to eliminate stress from your life, as it is the cause of many mental health and physical disabilities. Involve yourself in activities that you enjoy doing. If you cannot exercise you can practice meditation, which will help you, relax? Therapies prove to be very useful if done under proper guidance. Eat a healthy diet. Learn to express emotions in a constructive way and eliminate things and situations that give you stress.

• Nurture yourself. Do not dwell in the past. Think about your goals and try to achieve them. Bigger tasks can be broken into small ones and managed efficiently. The inner strength in you will pave the way for your achievements. Think of the good times and how you recouped up with the bad times. 

 You can come in terms with disability but it may be difficult and take time. However, it will improve your quality of mental health and overall life.

Mental Health – Coming to Terms with Disabilities is a post from: Mental Health