If you have received a serious medical diagnosis, it may be difficult to keep your spirit high. In this article, we are going to show several ways to deal with it.
Words are beautiful – they can create, inspire, and, at times, make us feel meek. However, nothing compares to that kick in the guts we get when we hear things like “disease,” “terminal,” permanent,” or “mental illness.” Having to deal with a serious medical diagnosis can be taxing, but there’s always that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel no matter how thick the darkness may be.
In this article, we are going to show several ways to raise your spirits when coping with a diagnosis of a serious illness.
1. Meditation
Meditation does wonder for the mind. More than once, patients have reported being able to achieve great things by focusing on the raw power of positivity. Although there is hardly any scientific proof of the so-called “mind magic,” medical researchers are still reluctant about dismissing the concept of mind-guided self-healing altogether.
There are many cases, especially those related to terminal conditions like cancer, where patients have managed to ‘purge’ the disease by visualizing how their bodies were healing on their own.
It doesn’t matter where you meditate or with whom you do it as long as it changes your perspective on life. The undeniable merit of meditation is the way it ‘plays’ with your energy. A two-hour daily session can make you feel more content and positive about your situation.
So, if you ever need your spirits lifted, go ahead and try out simple meditation exercises. Don’t overcomplicate things. Try to visualize things that make you feel safe, needed, and loved.
2. Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself
Let us get one thing out of the way – a scary medical diagnosis is a serious problem and should be treated as such. Nobody is saying you should not take all the necessary steps to contain it, nor acting as nothing has changed in your life.
Panicking more than it is necessary and acting tough are both extremely counterproductive, not to mention unhealthy from a mental standpoint.
The best approach here is to focus on things that are absolutely necessary, such as scheduling and keeping doctor appointments, taking meds, going to physical therapy, adjusting your schedule to accommodate the new reality and making arrangements at work.
You can even use this opportunity to get a pet, as it will provide you with great amounts of emotional support when your friends and family are unavailable.
Another thing that you have to remember is that you will not always feel this way. Feeling shocked upon learning about the medical diagnosis is totally natural, but the intensity of those initial feelings will not last forever. At their core, humans are pragmatic and adaptable in a wide array of situations – and you will soon learn how to do that.
3. Having a Lovely Chat with Your Best Friend
After the doctor breaks it to you, it is hard to focus on anything else. Still, you have to keep in mind that there are some loving people out there, who would gladly help you. It doesn’t have to be something awkward and, most of all, don’t try to trivialize the severity of your medical diagnosis or turn everything into a drama.
It’s essential to maintain your composure. We know that the little man in the back of your mind makes you want to burst into tears and tell everyone that you’re going to die alone and miserable. But it doesn’t have to be that day.
Time spent with friends has led to astonishing results especially in the case of late-onset schizophrenia. Patients have reported that a friendly chat helped them remembered things long forgotten and even made them realize that they are stronger than the disease.
4. Humor
Nothing makes you feel more relaxed than hearing a good joke. As they say, laughter is the best medicine there is. So, if you are ever feeling down or have trouble coping with what your doctor said, don’t forget about your daily dose of laughter. It doesn’t have to be anything special.
For example, if you have a Netflix account, you can always watch a couple of comedy shows (and there are literally hundreds to choose from). You can also meet up with your best friend for drinks and recall the clumsiest thing you two have been through.
Humor is unanimously considered one of the best ways to promote self-healing, and even science has confirmed it. So, don’t let a diagnosis bring you down. Keep your chin up and laugh as hard as you can as though you have just heard the best joke in the world.
5. Pen Your Happy Thoughts
Have you ever thought about keeping your journal? A memoir is undoubtedly the most potent form of introspection. Everything about yourself – your happy places, sad thoughts, dreams, emotions, should be on those pages.
Once you are set to start your mood-altering journey, then write down everything that makes you happy and uplifted. It doesn’t matter how trivial those things are – anything helps! When you are done, you can share it with your loved ones so that they can better understand what you are going through.
Conclusion
Always remember that medical diagnosis, no matter how bleak it may look, is not a death sentence. There are always things to do to keep your spirits high like meditation, meeting with your friends, connecting with your family, hearing a good joke, or simply recalling all those happy places.
