“At the very beginning when everything is so unknown and everything is so overwhelming, coping strategies are about getting through the day. Thinking about things one by one, step by step, day by day.”
Robin Dorman is a clinical health psychologist from Northwestern University Medical Center in Chicago.
Thinking too far in the future can create more stress, so focus on what is manageable. Two days seems too much? Start with one. If one day is too much? Get through one hour at a time. “It sounds cliche, but there’s a reason for that cliche,” she shares. This method is valuable both for the person injured, family members and caregivers.
“There can be a real desire to think far in the future,” she shares, along with many common questions she’s encountered in her work. “At times, that can be too much to ask.” Give yourself time to build up piece by piece. It may seem to be easier said than done, but working through steps reduces stress and allows you to focus on manageable pieces of a great transition.
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