My therapist told me that things I thought that I couldn’t do were “choices” that I made. E.g. I was not able to attend my brother’s wedding because I was in the hospital being treated for a stroke, hooked up to lines including morphine for terrible head pain. I had been paralyzed on one side, could barely speak, and couldn’t think about anything but my pain. But was it my choice that I decided not to go to my brother’s wedding? I told her it wasn’t a “choice”. She said that it was. That I suppose was to make me feel that I have more control in my life?
She also talked about being in the moment. She gave an example of holding an apple and thinking about all the hands that had handled the apple, from those picking it, transporting it, etc. I told her that was boring. I said so I’m supposed to only be in the moment cleaning up the kitchen and washing the dishes? I would rather be thinking of other things. She asked if that had worked for me. I said yes it had. Supposed to focus on eating which I now hate since my stroke? I would rather focus on anything else other than the food that I hate but have to eat. Supposed to be in the moment walking into the grocery store with a halting gait due to my stroke? If I really focus on the moment, I will focus on my constant pain from my fibromyalgia and migraines that I instead ignore as much as possible.
I sincerely want to hear if anyone else has used these 2 techniques to help their pain and disabilities. And how? Maybe the therapist just didn’t describe them well to me. Another therapist was also going to focus on being in the moment. Or what other methods have worked for people dealing with pain and/or disabilities?