Being in an accident is always traumatic at some level. It is completely understandable for an accident victim to think the worst, especially right after the accident. Staying positive has a host of benefits, not the least of which is a better recovery rate for healing. How do you keep someone positive in such a situation? Here are a few ideas:
Acknowledgment
Bad things happen to good and bad people alike. Dwelling on “Why me?” does nothing to alleviate the pain or change the situation. The accident happened and life has changed. While the impact of the accident on a person’s life depends on a lot of things, one thing is certain – life does go on afterward. How life goes on is up to the person.
Helping your friend or loved one acknowledge the reality of the situation, and helping them seek ways to cope with the healing process can be invaluable. There are some things that are still within the person’s control and some things that are not. The healing process will take time. How much time? No one can say, exactly. Keeping a positive attitude, however, finding those things that are working and going well and building on them, will make the recovery process considerably smoother.
Acceptance
An accident changes things. Depending on the injuries sustained, a person’s life can be radically changed physically, mentally and emotionally. There are some things about the accident that will need to be accepted. There is no going back to change the past, however, there is the opportunity to make the present and the future better. Handling the issues at hand may require some help. Accept that there are things that will need to be taken care of. Putting them off or pretending they don’t exist will not help the situation. If you are in a position to help your friend or loved one attend to the things that need to be done, so much the better.
Limit the Pity Party
Does that sound harsh? In some cases, it may seem that way, but to immerse oneself in the negative aspects of the situation and stay there is neither productive nor healthy. Yes, there needs to be time to grieve. That time needs to be respected and honored. A pity party is different from the grieving process. It is when the focus is only on the bad aspects of the situation and there is denial of any light at the end of the tunnel. There is light, and refusing to see it only prolongs the agony. As a friend, you may be the light-bearer.
Help Identify Resources for the Accident Victim
As a friend or loved one of someone who has been involved in an accident, you are in a unique position to be very helpful in this time of great need. You can do the legwork, telephone calls, internet searches, whatever is needed to assist in finding resources that may be helpful. Realize your efforts may not immediately be appreciated; in the long run, they will be. If you can be positive, upbeat and supportive, your attitude may rub off on the person you are helping.
Don’t Neglect the Humor
Study after study has shown the positive impact of humor on healing. Keeping a sense of humor is important. Laughter is good medicine. Whether it’s sharing funny movies or reading from a joke book, keep the humor flowing. Laughter releases endorphins which elevate mood. A trip to a great comedy show may be just the thing to make a difference. Regular doses of humor will help promote a positive outlook.
Stay Positive Yourself
Part of helping an accident victim stay positive is staying positive yourself. You cannot give what you don’t have. Educate yourself on the injury, so you can have an idea about the expectations of recovery. You don’t want to offer false hope, but you do want to keep a focus on those things that are possible. Helping an accident victim stay positive can be hard work, so be sure to take care of yourself and do what you need to do to keep a positive outlook as well.
At Frohlich, Gordon & Beason, P.A., we believe in positive outcomes. Specializing in personal injury law, we work with clients to get the best possible resolution for their case. Contact us at (941) 979-9010 for a free consultation. We serve clients throughout the southwest Florida region.