Staying Positive After a Parkinson's Diagnosis

You may find yourself reeling following your diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, and you probably don't want to see or hear any suggestions to find the silver lining in the dark rain cloud you feel hanging over your head. However, staying positive after your diagnosis is vital to your mental and physical well-being.

How can you stay positive when you have received a life-changing diagnosis? I won't pretend it will be easy; however, you can keep your positivity on track in a few ways

Shift Your Focus

When the symptoms start, completing the everyday tasks you've been doing your entire life becomes difficult. That's why finding hobbies you can do regardless of symptoms or flare-ups is essential. Additionally, you can plan your day in short bursts – it will help you stay strong mentally as you continue to achieve things as usual and avoid any meltdowns that may come from pushing yourself too hard. Staying active is vital; setting daily personal goals is a great way to keep you on course.

Know Your Opponent

While Parkinson's Disease affects each patient differently, you can expect certain things Therefore, while you don't want to read horror stories online, you want to know your opponent and learn as much as possible about your illness. Ideally, you will want to spend time with your doctor, asking questions and getting the correct answers straight from the source.

So, once you have gotten your diagnosis, you can think of any questions that may be on your mind and then return for an extended appointment with your doctor to address your concerns and queries.

Staying Positive After a Parkinson's Diagnosis

Find Humor

Laughter is the best medicine and keeping (or finding) your humor after a diagnosis like Parkinson's is essential to maintaining your mental health. With Parkinson's Disease, depression is a real risk, so be sure to speak with your doctor about your symptoms.

For self-care, find ways to laugh. It can be difficult to find humor when you're facing a severe condition, so even if it means watching an extra episode of your favorite sitcom for a boost, do it!

Tap into Your Social Circle

Of course, your friends can help keep the laughs coming, and they will play an even more prominent role here. You need to maintain your social connections to help maintain your positivity and mental health. If you have a friend who drags you down, don't turn to them for support in your time of need. Instead, surround yourself with the most supportive and positive people you know.

You can extend your social circle by joining a Parkinson's Disease support group. A group will allow you to spend time with people at various stages of their PD journey, and you will find a lot of information and comfort from a support group.

If this makes you nervous, you can rest easy, as there are plenty of online support groups for PD patients. In addition, Zoom is ideal for anyone who doesn't have the confidence to turn up in person or perhaps has limited mobility.

The most important thing here is your health; with a Parkinson's diagnosis, there are more than just physical symptoms to worry about. You also have to keep your mental health in mind, and staying positive in the face of adversity will only boost the strength of your mental well-being.

Positive people are notoriously less likely to experience symptoms of depression than the pessimists among us, so choose positivity.