How to Live With Blindness, Deafness & Peripheral Neuropathy
It's never an easy thing trying to cope with a visual or hearing impairment or a chronic pain syndrome like peripheral neuropathy. Impairments come in many forms. Sometimes the onset is gradual, or it may come on suddenly. It doesn't necessarily matter what the cause, how these conditions affect a person's life varies. Nonetheless, it's only natural to feel isolated and frustrated in response to the changes you may have to make in your lifestyle. These are normal reactions as you come to terms with the adjustments in your everyday life.
Instructions
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Learn to live with your impairments rather than simply cope with them. The important thing is not to get discouraged. Accept the changes in your life, and enjoy all the things you can still do. Give yourself time. No one says that it is going to be easy; however, you have only two choices. Either you feel sorry for yourself or you make the most of your life despite your limitations. There is absolutely no reason why you should not still feel good about yourself.
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Educate yourself about your physical impairments. You are bound to feel more in control if you understand what it is happening to you. County health agencies and local hospitals often develop self-help seminars for people living with particular disabilities and health conditions. There are numerous state and federal organizations, advocacy groups and rehabilitation and service agencies available to help (see Resources below). You can also take advantage of new communication and information technologies, which now make life easier for individuals who live with physical impairments.
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Find out if there are support groups near you (see Resources). Although you may feel alone, be assured that you are not the only person dealing with the challenges of your condition. It helps to share your fears and frustrations with other people who understand firsthand what you are experiencing. Aside from the support of family members and friends, you may find that it helps to establish a support network that includes other people who experience what you do.
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Use assistive devices to help you live a normal life. Whether you require assistive listening devices, braille writing devices and reading materials or a mobility aid if you are having difficulties with coordination, balance and muscle weakness, it is essential that you set realistic goals for yourself.
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Keep in mind that everyone has bad days, whether or not they can see, hear or walk. Avoid using your condition as an excuse for not achieving your potential. You may have to look for different kinds of opportunities to help you pursue your interests, but now is the time to find out what your true talents are and then make good use of them.
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Keep up-to-date with any medical advances in these areas. Consult more than one specialist about your impairments. You may not be able to do anything to reverse it, but you can take care of the other aspects of your health. Live a healthy lifestyle to prevent other possible complications.
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Remind yourself that you are a valuable individual. Accept your limitations, but do not let them stop you from living a full and rewarding life. Do not isolate yourself from others. Feeling sorry for yourself will only make your situation worse if you let it prevent you from thinking about anything else. Seek help from professionals if you have to. A counselor may be able to help you refocus on your strengths rather than your weaknesses.
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