Overcoming Pre and Post Operative stress
Being told that you need an operation is an extremely stressful time and depending on the severity of the illness (or the complexity of the operation) a persons level of stress can increase significantly. Then there are the inevitable meetings with doctors to educate you and perhaps your loved ones on the type of operation that will take place and potential negative outcomes. Added to this is the stressors associated with the recovery process which could mean hours of physio or O/T and the boredom of being restricted to the couch and the seemingly endless follow up appointments. And lets not forget about the financial stressors of being off work and the impact of less income on the family as a whole. Oh... and what about that back of the mind nagging issue of have you picked the right surgeon to do the job. How on earth can you be sure that you have picked the right surgeon? It all starts to become too much.
From research exploring the reasons that take place for a patient to reject transplanted organs comes the discovery that the mindset of the recipient is as important as the medical procedure. Specifically, the research that looked at the transplant of hearts, uncovered a significant problem in the acceptance of the heart by the new host. That problem was that the host psychologically had not accepted the heart. As a consequence of this, Clinical Psychologists have been made a part of the screening panel for individuals wanting heart transplants in the United States. What does this mean for an individual undergoing surgery?
Well... simply put, given all the stressors on the individual that take place prior to the operation the chances are that if the patient cant address these stressors in an effective way that their emotional instability may effect their recovery. Especially post operatively.
If a person goes into the surgery carrying a great deal of distress it is likely that this distress will continue through into the most crucial phase of their surgery. Recovery! Physical recovery is as much dependant on how the body heals as it is on how the mind helps the body to heal. A strong mental outlook is important for a full recovery or the successful adjustment to a dramatic change in lifestyle and functioning as a result of the operation.
With the use of computer based Biofeedback training a patient can adress the anxiety and stress surrounding pre and post surgery efficiently as the Biofeedback training is about the development of coping skills and not the investigation of the feeling associated with the operation. This is different than the usual treatment for anxiety. The Biofeedback training provides a helpful, useful and objective assessment of the individuals coping skills in a way that reassures the patient that the newly developed coping skills are working. How does this happen?? Because the individual can SEE the benefits of the strategies on a computer monitor. Whats that old expression......Seeing is Believing!
If you are interested in this course of action in addressing surgical procedures, please make a booking now.
