It is expected that, as human beings, we develop patterns of behaviour to deal with tasks in our day-to-day lives. When we need to prepare a meal, we can automatically determine the necessary steps: buy the veggies and rice, turn the stove on, boil the water, and so on. The same happens at work when preparing for a meeting; you know you need to research the topic, decide which important aspects you want to share, write your notes, and so on. These tasks often follow a clear, linear process toward the goal you want to achieve.
When we talk about recovery, whether physical or psychological, it is not a straight line. Most of the time, you don’t have exact steps to follow. As humans, we often push forward for structure and certainty in our lives. Some people feel comfortable with predictability, while others cope quite well without it. But the impact of a traumatic injury can blur the structured, organised, predictable path we might hope for in recovery.
Why We Struggle With Uncertainty
Because of this, in our services, we understand that recovery is not a straight line, and we aim to offer support tailored to individual needs. If you are recovering from a crash and you don’t know how long it will take, it is okay. Acceptance of the things we can’t change is key in recovery, and accepting that the recovery process can feel “all over the place” is okay too.
The difference in how long it takes someone to recover is often connected to the size of their personal toolbox; their coping strategies. If you already have more tools, you may be able to move through recovery at a steadier pace than someone who hasn’t developed their toolbox yet.
Your Toolbox Matters
The concept of a toolbox means having different strategies to cope with difficulties. Once again, one size does not fit all. As humans, we need to engage in different activities to explore our own strategies. This can include different domains of our lives. Emotionally, you might explore your feelings through reading and noticing how a story moves you, or through art, ballet, theatre, painting, music, paying attention to how a performance or artwork makes you feel.
Building Coping Strategies
How often do you express your emotions; by writing (journaling) or by speaking about them (counselling)? How often do you explore your creativity? In the physical realm, how often are you engaging in activities such as walking, stretching, swimming, and so on? Changing your thoughts and emotions can help you engage in physical activities, and changing your physiology can also shift how you feel.
Try Something New
The point of all this is to keep exploring. When was the last time you did something for the first time? Expose yourself to new things and new activities as often as possible. This way, when you go through a difficult time such as recovering from psychological, physical, or combined trauma, you will have a toolbox filled with different coping strategies to support your journey.
Recovery isn’t a straight line, but every step, even the messy ones, still moves you forward.
