Being born with a disability versus developing one in adult may seem like the same situation but can also be drastically different. When my brother was born with his disability it was identified fairly early on in life. But there are many people who develop a disability much later on in life. It might sound really weird but in some sense there is an advantage to having been born with a disability. You have so much more time to develop strategies and come to terms with your condition.
Set Time To Grieve:
When accidents or medical condition suddenly manifest themselves it is all kinds of confusing and painful. Everyone deals with it differently and there is no one size fits all solution. Suppressing or ignoring the situation is not healthy. The harder you try and bottle it up, the more the pressure building till it explodes. Personally I would recommend setting time aside in your day to just be sad, angry or express whatever negative emotion you want. Whether you get hit by a bus and now need a wheelchair; or get diagnosed with Parkinson’s it is a major blow. Nobody can be expected to just walk it off. Coming to terms with a permanent change in your life will be incredibly hard. Give yourself the time cry or scream into a pillow anything really to let the pain out in a health manner.
Becoming Adaptable:
It is rough when one day you are able to walk up a flight of stairs one day and the next the sidewalk curb can stop you dead in your tracks. Change happens for everyone but having changes this drastic take time to deal with. It is important to learn what exactly are you limitations. From there understanding how to work within them. This can come in different forms such as finding new process. For example, If you have a disability that impacts mobility; instead of walking to the store for groceries, try having food delivered. Technology is another way to compensate for disabilities. Many people who suffer from blindness use screen reading software to help navigate the internet. It is also a good idea to seek out others who have similar conditions to yourself. There are over 7 billion people on this planet, there is no reason for you to reinvent the wheel.
Learning To Ask For Help:
No matter who you are, everyone needs help. This can be especially tough on a person if they are in the early stages of dealing with a new disability. Simple chores that you used to be able to do by yourself need intervention from others. It can feel demoralizing and that you are a failure. That just is not true. Whenever someone has a major life change it is common place to get help. If a couple gets married everyone wants to help, if a student gets ready for university its not uncommon for parents to help. Dealing with a disability is a major life event and there are people who want to help. It great to try things on your own but never be ashamed to ask for help.