Broken Leg

HAVE YOU RECENTLY BROKEN A BODY PART THAT IS NOW IN A CAST?

Are you feeling down about the whole thing, including suffering from any of the following?

intense sadness
a loss of hope
frequent bouts of crying
more than your usual amount of 'nerves'
trouble sleeping
a general tiredness (not connected to the lack of sleep)
no interest in food

You might have Adjustment Disorder (a.k.a. Situational Depression, a.k.a. Broken Leg Depression).

Not surprising, right?

After all, your life has been turned upside down. You may not be able to drive your car or go to work. The exercise that was keeping your body fit and your spirits up has gone out the window. Feeding yourself might be a chore and even keeping clean without help could be a struggle.

Well, mind over matter, as they say. Here are 3 top coping tips:

1) Get a support system

Call in favours (or rack up IOUs) from family and friends. Find out what kind of home help your health plan will cover. If you need to, consider hiring a temporary support person using funds from your own pocket.

2) Keep as active as you can

Do whatever exercise you can do. Change to a different type of workout if needed for this short period of time. The point is to keep the endorphins flowing so your body and spirit are energized.

3) You are your first priority

Pamper yourself a little bit more than usual by doing activities that make you feel good. Indulge those needs that will make your life more manageable. For example, get a cast protector so it's easier to take a shower or bath.