Finding Your New Normal: Tips to Moving on After Disability
No one plans to get hurt or become disabled, but it happens more often than you might imagine. While some injuries can be quick to recover from, others require more time and treatment or are irreversible.
No doubt a lot to deal with physically, emotionally, and financially, adopting a new normal often becomes the best way to move on. If you’re newly disabled and unsure of what to do next, these tips will provide some guidance.
Hire a Disability Attorney
More than half of all Social Security disability insurance claims are turned down the first time. You can save yourself a lot of hassle and expedite the process by hiring a disability attorney. Ask around about attorneys other people have used that you know and trust.
If not, you can search specific law firms and look for client reviews. Check out Myler Disability reviews for firsthand accounts of an industry leader.
An attorney will help you fill out the application boosting your chances of getting approved.
You Got Approved…Now What?
Your disability attorney was able to help you get your disability claim approved and before you know it, you’ll be receiving payments to compensate for your lost wages.
There’s still a lot of adjustments that need to be made in order to move past your disability and find your new normal. You’re going to need to practice a lot of self-care and work diligently at finding a new way of life despite your condition. Here are some suggestions:
Remain Under Your Doctor’s Care
Though making repeat visits to the doctor, physical therapist, or other medical specialists’ offices may be time-consuming, it is vital to your health and recovery. Keep all your doctor’s appointments and follow their recommendations accordingly.
Failure to do so could not only worsen your condition but could be grounds for stopping your disability benefits.
Exercise (Safely)
With doctor’s approval only, exercising can be an effective way to strengthen your body and improve your health. Since you’re dealing with a disability, however, make sure that you don’t overdo it.
Walking for a block or lifting a 5lb dumbbell is a lot better than trying to walk for miles or lift 50 lbs and end up injured.
Eat Right
Food is the fuel your body requires to heal itself from the inside out. Believe it or not, there is a lot of connection to what you eat and how your body behaves.
Eating foods to improve muscle mass, strength, energy, and the immune system can help you to recover faster and beat your disability (or at least improve your condition).
Get Enough Rest
Your body needs sleep to properly heal and rejuvenate itself. Though dealing with a life-altering disability can be stressful and keep you up, it is crucial that you find ways to reduce the stress and get sleep.
Talk to Someone
Whether your disability is permanent or not, it can be emotionally heavy to deal with alone. Talking to someone going through similar circumstances, or even a mental health professional can help to ease your mind.
Through effective communication, you can work through your concerns and find new ways of appreciating your life now.
Do Something You Enjoy
It can be easy to get so wrapped up in what’s wrong with you, that you forget to remember the things that made you smile. During your recovery, make sure that you’re taking time to do things you enjoy.
Whether it’s taking a vacation with your family, working on model cars and trains, or catching your favorite movie in theaters, a smile can go a long way to improving your outlook on life.
Your disability may take some getting used to. Whether you can completely recover from it or not, the key to not letting your disability take over your life is learning how to adopt a new normal.
Taking care of yourself physically, financially, and emotionally will help reduce your stress and improve your circumstances, making moving past it all a lot easier.
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.™ Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the above article. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
1. What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
That we have to all appreciate the little things and to not take anything for granted.
2. What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate within yourself and/or life?
I’m blessed to have loving family and friends in my life.
3. What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? And what makes YOU most proud? Any goals and dreams that you still have?
Graduating from Arizona State University in 2013
4. We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
Nobody’s perfect and it’s been hard to accept it. I’ve learned to embrace my curly hair, my curves and my quirky personality.
5. “I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you!) Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?”
I love my unwavering intensity. Everything I do is 100 percent.
Photo by Gus Moretta on Unsplash
