Surgery is an extraordinary human accomplishment if you think about it. Actually getting into somebody’s body to correct various ills? And not just turning them into a bloody mess? It’s up there with flying and the harnessing of electricity as among our greatest achievements.
Image Credit: skeeze
But even with all our surgical advances, there are still many people out there who are terrified of the prospect. It’s safe to say that pretty much everyone has some kind of anxiety about surgery. But for some people, it’s acute. It could even go as far as a phobia.
And who could blame you, really? When you go into surgery, you’re giving up a huge amount of power. You are placed in anesthesia and handed to a bunch of people with sharp objects. Extremely professional and talented people, for sure, but still.
But if you’re going into surgery, then the chances are that you really need to go into surgery. There’s no alternative. And if you’re feeling really nervous, then you will need some help to get yourself together. Here are some tips for you.
Keep your mind busy
There’s usually quite a long wait between the confirmation of surgery and the surgery itself. It’s often months. That’s a long time for the imagination to wander! Don’t spend all your time focussing on negatives. Keep yourself as busy as possible. If you can, do some exercise (as long as it’s compliant with the safety of your surgery). Do more reading. Play some video games. Go to the movies. See friends. Go for walks. Do some volunteer work. Work on a creative project. Just keep your mind occupied!
Image: Kyle Cassidy – Wikipedia
Ask your doctor about alternative surgeries
Often, if a less invasive form of surgery is available to you, then you’ll have been informed already. But it’s worth double-checking with your doctor. Is it possible for you to get equally beneficial treatment without traditional, open surgery? Laser surgery, for example, is a lot less scary for many people. Spine problems in particular can often be investigated using lasers instead of the knife. Read more about laser procedures at ProMedSpine.com.
Educate yourself about the surgery
Nothing is worse than the unknown. And that’s what much of this anxiety can be boiled down to, really. If all you can imagine is yourself going into pitch blackness while people prod at you with sharp instruments? Well, of course you’re going to be anxious! (Unless you’re really morbidly curious. In which case, lucky you, I guess!) The paradox here is that people often think that keeping themselves unknowing will help them. Not true. You may think that reading more about the procedure will increase your anxiety, but it could actually help you a lot. Get to know exactly what the surgeons will do. Research the body’s amazing ability to heal after surgery.
Nurture your trust
I’m going to revisit the “unknown”, here. The unknown is scary, and if you don’t know who will be performing the surgery then that can make things worse. Speak frankly to your doctor and/or surgeon. They will completely understand any anxieties you have and will be able to reassure you. Friendly conversation is something any good practitioner will be versed in. After all, not everyone medical professional is Gregory House!
