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It is quite common to feel anxious and sometimes depressed after a big surgery, but there are ways to combat this. Here are 7 tips to reduce anxiety after surgery.

Anxiety After Surgery - Pearl Recovery Retreat & Wellness

Having any type of surgical procedure can be stressful, and it’s very common to have some level of anxiety both before and after surgery. It’s completely normal to be worried before surgery. After all, you might be concerned about whether the surgery will go well, how much pain you’ll have, and so on. Once the procedure is over, however, you might be surprised to still have some anxiety after surgery. This, too, is normal!

The good news is that there are ways you can reduce your anxiety after surgery. Some of the tips will pertain to the time before you have your procedure, and others will be more effective after you are out of the recovery room. Keep reading to learn more about managing stress and anxiety after having surgery.

 

Get Plenty of Sleep Before Your Procedure

Sleep deprivation is often a contributing cause to anxiety before and after surgery. It can be hard to settle down and fall asleep or stay asleep if you are worried about your procedure or in pain, but talk to your doctor about how you can get better sleep in the days and weeks leading up to your surgery.

Some tips on getting better sleep include following a good bedtime routine, keeping your bedroom cool and comfortable, staying away from electronics for an hour or two before bedtime, and avoiding caffeine in the afternoon and evening hours.

 

Plan Your Downtime While You Recover

Chances are good that you will have some period of time after your surgery when you will not be able to meet all of your normal obligations. Setting up your coworkers, boss, children, and family for success now can reduce your anxiety later.

If you have responsibilities at work, talk to those you work with so they can pick up the slack. Talk to your boss about how long you expect to be out, and come up with a plan to cover your work so you aren’t worried about it while you’re gone.

Also, talk to your family members to ensure that there is a plan to take care of children, cook meals, and look after pets. Think about the tasks you manage every day and delegate them to others who will be able to take over.

Plan to spend time at a recovery center such as Pearl Recovery Retreat. This will allow you the time and space to heal while your basic needs are being taken care of.

 

Gather Information About Your Recovery

Before your surgery, talk to your doctor about what to expect during the recovery process. Keep in mind that everyone’s experience is different. Even if the average person fully recovers within a set period of time, that does not mean that you necessarily will be. Keeping your expectations realistic will go a long way toward alleviating the anxiety after surgery.

At the same time, ask about what red flags to look for during your recovery. This way, you’ll have a solid plan of what to watch for so you aren’t as worried over every benign twinge or setback.

 

Stick to a Healthy Diet After Surgery

Eating well will help keep anxiety at bay at any time, and it is particularly important after a surgical procedure. Your body needs a variety of nutrients to heal properly, and you will need healthy calories to increase your energy levels. It’s important to know the best foods to eat after surgery. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean sources of protein, and healthy fats will go a long way toward boosting your energy levels and lowering your anxiety. Try to stay away from empty calories, too much caffeine, excessive alcohol, and a lot of sugar or salt.

At Pearl Recovery Retreat, we provide healthy meals as well as nutritious shakes and juices to keep your energy up while supporting your overall recovery. If you are not able to spend time in a recovery center, plan ahead for healthy meals in the days and weeks following your surgery.

 

Manage Your Pain Appropriately

Pain can cause a lot of anxiety after surgery, so it’s vital to talk to your medical providers about ways to keep yours under control. Not every surgical procedure will result in severe pain, of course, but it’s still important to manage even mild pain.

Be sure you understand exactly how to use your pain medication and take it exactly as directed. If you are not having your pain managed well with your current prescription, never double up on doses or take them closer together without your doctor’s express directions to do so. Call your doctor and explain how you are feeling so he or she can prescribe safe and effective pain control.

 

Move and Exercise As Appropriate

Exercise does wonders to alleviate anxiety; unfortunately, after surgery, you will probably not be able to pick up where you left off in your regular exercise routine. Instead, you will need to gradually work up to your regimen. Talk to your doctor or nurse to find out when and how much you should be moving around. After most types of surgery, patients are encouraged to get up and move to prevent complications like constipation and deep vein thrombosis.

As the days turn into weeks, you’ll likely be able to do more and more. Find out from your healthcare professionals what you should be doing and what signs you should watch for that you’re doing too much. Otherwise, enjoy getting back into shape after your surgery and take advantage of the endorphin boost exercise gives you.

 

Seek Counseling If Needed

If you are struggling with anxiety after surgery and it does not improve with lifestyle changes, talk to your doctor about your mental health. Depression or anxiety can affect your recovery and make you feel less than your best, so it’s important to find ways to control these conditions. Therapy, support groups, and, in some cases, medications can help. If you don’t already have a therapist, ask your primary care provider for a referral or recommendation.

Anxiety is common both before and after surgery, but it doesn’t have to linger or affect your day-to-day life. Try some of the tips outlined below, and if those don’t help, reach out for help.

 

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Many individuals experience depression after surgery. This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’ll discuss why this sometimes occurs and how it can be avoided.

Depression After Surgery Mental Health Awareness Month - Pearl Recovery Retreat & Wellness

Many people feel anxiety as they approach their surgical date. The reasons for this are many: You might be worried about the surgery itself, the pain you’ll feel after recovery, how your family will be able to handle everything while you are recuperating, any new medications that you’ll have to take, and so on. Working on relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises or meditation can help you overcome the completely normal anxiety that often accompanies having a procedure done.

What you might not be expecting, however, is depression. Some people have depression after surgery, and in addition to the symptoms of the depression itself, you might also be surprised and disappointed to have to go through this type of mental health challenge. 

Why You Might Experience Depression Post-Surgery

You don’t need a reason to experience depression. It can be caused by many different things or nothing particular at all. Those who have depression after surgery might have it for any of these reasons, however:

  • You already had depression before the surgery. If you currently have depression or have had it before, you are more prone to developing it after the surgery.
  • You are reacting to one of the medications used. A cause of temporary depression can be the anesthesia or the painkillers you need to have during or after the surgery.
  • You are in pain. While you are in the recovery process, the pain you feel can cause you to feel depressed. 
  • Your expectations are not being realized. If you are expected to experience less pain, have a better range of motion, or recuperate quickly, you might become depressed if these goals are coming along more slowly than you had expected.
  • You are having complications. If you experience complications from your surgery, it can be very discouraging and can cause depression.
  • You feel isolated. Isolation is often a cause of depression. If you are recuperating alone and can’t stick to your normal routines of socializing with people, you might begin to feel depressed.
  • Your family is not coping well without you handling your normal tasks. During the recuperation period, you may not be able to handle your normal activity level. If you usually interact a lot with young children or do most of the cooking and cleaning, your family will need to adjust. If they don’t, you might feel guilty or depressed.

Signs of Depression After Surgery

It is important to be aware of the signs of depression after surgery. Remember that depression is treatable. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important to bring them to the attention of your healthcare providers. They can help, or they can refer you to someone who can.

Some of these symptoms of depression overlap with the normal process of recovery. If they are not getting better each day or if they are getting worse over time, then it’s time to talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.

  • Sleeping more than expected. Of course, you need extra rest while recuperating. If you feel as though you cannot get out of bed or you are too tired to do the exercises your doctor has prescribed for you, this could be a sign of depression.
  • Excessive irritability. Again, some irritability is normal after surgery because it is a stressful event. If you find that you are extremely irritable or annoyed, however, this could be a symptom of something else going on.
  • A feeling of hopelessness. You should improve somewhat each day, perhaps with some stops and starts, particularly if you have complications. If you begin to feel as though you will never recover, though, or that life is hopeless for other reasons, it could be depression.
  • Loss of appetite. This is another sign that could be related to the medications you’re on or the procedure you’ve had, but unless your doctor tells you otherwise, you should expect your appetite to come back a bit more each day.
  • Thoughts of suicide or self-harm. This is a medical emergency. If you find yourself contemplating suicide, call your medical provider immediately. You can also call 911 or head to the emergency room.

Avoiding Depression After Surgical Procedures

There are a few things you can do to try to avoid depression after surgery. Since depression can occur in response to isolation, it might help to arrange for someone to visit you each day. Staying in a surgery recovery center like Pearl Recovery Retreat will also give you built-in contact with private duty nurses and others who will be looking out for you and helping you to recover at your own pace.

Before your surgery, talk to your healthcare providers about the expectations you should have. You should also discuss which complications you might experience. Knowing ahead of time what to expect can help you cope better if you are recovering more slowly than you thought you would. It can also help you to be realistic and not fall into the trap of expecting too much from yourself.

Talk to your family members about ways they can cope with your absence or your lack of ability to handle everything that you normally take care of. For example, it might help to make a list of the vital things that must happen each day. This may include:

  • Feeding pets and children
  • Getting children off to school
  • Washing the dishes and laundry

This way, if they aren’t keeping up with the vacuuming or cooking elaborate meals, at least they (and you) will be assured that the basics are still getting accomplished. This can reduce your stress and your tendency to develop depression.

If you do experience the signs of depression after surgery, it is helpful to have a plan. Who should you contact? Talking about your feelings to your nurse or doctor can help you feel better. You can also ask to be referred to a counselor. In some cases, medication can help you through the hurdle. Remember that this is a finite period of time and that you will likely be feeling better once your recovery is complete.

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What to Know About the Postoperative Healing Process - Pearl Recovery Retreat & Wellness

A lot of thought and preparation often goes into a planned surgery. You might spend a lot of time arranging for childcare, making sure that you have someone to drive you, and following your doctor’s instructions for preparing yourself to have surgery safely. For example, you might need to start or stop taking a particular medication, not eat after a specific time, and avoid certain foods in the days or weeks leading up to the procedure. You might think that the day of your surgery is the end of your journey, but of course, you must still go through the postoperative healing process. Here are five things to know about healing up after surgery.

Your Body’s Immediate Postoperative Healing Effects

Even before you are awake in your recovery room after your surgery, your body will be doing the work of beginning to heal. Your blood will begin to clot around your incision, and your immune system will send out white blood cells to help protect against infection. On average, it takes about six days for the incision to get through the postoperative healing process, but it begins right away, as soon as you are stitched or stapled up.

Looking at your incision site each day will help you identify any troubling signs before turning into a real problem. For example, if you notice problematic drainage, calling your doctor right away can prevent it from turning into an infection. If you are staying at a surgical recovery center, the staff can help you monitor your wound. They will know what types of drainage and appearances are standard and which could indicate a problem, so you will get the reassurance or the treatment you need faster than if you were alone at home.

Appetite Stimulation After Surgery

You probably had to fast for some time before your surgery, and you might expect to wake up ravenous. However, most of the time, people who have had surgery have a hard time with their digestion for some period. There are a few reasons for this.

  1. First, you might feel nauseous or not hungry. The medications you had during your procedure can do this to you. So can the procedure itself, depending on what part of your body was worked on.
  2. Secondly, the anesthesia can cause your digestive system to slow down substantially, leading to bloating, gas, and constipation. Getting up and moving around (more about that in a minute) can help.
  3. Finally, when you are sore from your surgery, it can be hard to get the food you want and need. To heal properly, you need to eat healthy foods. You might crave easy-to-eat foods like yogurt, soups, and small portions of chicken, eggs, fish, or roasted vegetables. Unless you have someone cooking for you, you might need to get up and prepare these foods yourself, which is problematic. If you stay at a surgery recovery center, this part of the equation will be taken care of for you. At Pearl Recovery Retreat, we have dedicated chefs who will be preparing your meals to help you heal.

Early Postoperative Physical Activity Is a Must

Even if you’ve had a knee or hip replacement surgery, you might be surprised at how quickly your nurses will be asking you to get up and move around. Yes, this can be painful, and no, they are not trying to torture you! Moving around is vital to help with blood circulation and to ward off potentially deadly complications, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

Movement is a must yet challenging because it is painful, and someone else’s help is usually needed. After certain surgeries, it is tough to recuperate at home, mainly if you will be alone or have young children who do not understand that your mobility is limited. At Pearl Recovery Retreat, we have the staff available to help you to get around and to encourage you back on your feet as soon as it is safely possible for you.

Postoperative Relaxation Is Vital

Doing too much too soon is a common mistake after surgery. It is natural to feel like you need to get back to your everyday routines, but the fact is, not relaxing can extend your postoperative healing process. Your body needs to rest and get extra sleep to renew tissues that were damaged during your surgery and heal from the physical trauma.

Even if you are physically able to do your job (for example, if you work at a desk), having pain, taking medications, and feeling like you are not on your “A-game” can decrease productivity. It will be better for you and your employer, clients, and customers if you take some time to relax without working if possible.

If you are taking medications, they might have side effects that make it dangerous for you to drive, take care of young children on your own, or take on other responsibilities that generally are not a problem for you. Take your medication as prescribed, and do not try to do anything potentially dangerous while taking them. This is particularly important if you are taking muscle relaxants or narcotic pain medications.

Mental and Physical Health Are Fundamentally Linked, Equally Important

Did you know that stress, anxiety, depression, and isolation can prolong the postoperative healing process of your body and physical health overall? The mind-body connection is strong, and it is essential to take care of your mental health while recuperating from your surgery.

At Pearl Recovery Retreat, we have various treatments and therapies that are excellent for restoring mental health. For example, massage can be both relaxing and rejuvenating. Just having someone to talk to can also go a long way toward alleviating fears or helping you to feel better. Contact us to determine whether Pearl is the right place for you to be during your recovery after your surgical procedure.

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Understanding the Mind Body Connection in Healing - Pearl Recovery

Did you know that your mind has the power to influence some of your body’s physical responses? You have some voluntary or partially voluntary (such as breathing or blinking), but other responses (like beating your heart and blood pressure) are considered involuntary. The mind-body connection, however, can influence some of those processes. What does it mean for you? You might be able to achieve quicker healing after surgeries and treatments, and you might also be able to boost your overall health! Keep reading to learn more about the mind-body connection and why it is so important.

Benefits of Mind-Body Connection Exercises

Think about how you feel when you are under a lot of stress. Your heart might beat faster. You might feel a bit out of breath. You might hyperventilate, leading you to feel like you are not getting enough air. You might feel dizzy or sick to your stomach. Your blood pressure rises, and you might get a headache or hear your heart beating in your ears. When these symptoms of stress are short-term, you might feel yucky, but it is not harmful. When they are long-term, they can lead to health issues, including (but not limited to):

  • Chronic pain
  • Depression
  • Chronic headaches
  • Dental problems (from clenching your jaw)
  • High blood pressure
  • Stroke
  • Heart attack

However, understanding the mind-body connection and taking advantage of it can help reduce your anxiety and stress levels. People who have harnessed the power of the mind-body connection often need less medication for pain after surgery. They might have shorter hospital stays, and they can even heal more quickly. Because this connection can boost your immune system, you might also be less likely to get sick after surgery or hospitalization. These can lead to a longer life and a higher quality life where you feel good most days.

Relaxation & Guided Imagery

Being able to relax your body through meditation, guided imagery, and other relaxation techniques can go a long way toward relieving pain, lowering your blood pressure, and making you feel better. There are many ways you can do this. If you are a newcomer just starting, listening to a recording of someone walking you through these exercises can help. If your anxiety is sky-high and you don’t have a way to listen to a guided imagery recording, you can try grounding. Rather than focusing on your pain or stress, instead:

  • Focus on identifying five things you can see around you. Look at those five things and think of adjectives to describe them.
  • Next, close your eyes and identify four sounds you can hear. Focus on those four sounds, one at a time.
  • The next step is to find three things that you can physically feel. You might feel the chair under you and the air from a fan blowing on you, for example.
  • The next sense to focus on is the smell. Can you pick out two scents?
  • Finally, look for something you can taste. Taste the cold air or your warm mug of tea.

Working through this process with the above steps can be done anywhere and can relieve stress symptoms quickly. Meditation is a way that many people use to center themselves and relax. You can meditate by merely focusing on a word or sound. When other thoughts come into your mind, they will acknowledge them and gently redirect your thoughts back to your chosen term. You can also use online recordings to help you keep your thoughts focused if you have trouble on your own. Aim for one or two minutes at a time in the beginning.

Spiritual Practices & Techniques

Many people find comfort in various types of prayer or spiritual practices. Those who believe in the power of prayer might discover that they have less pain and quicker healing after surgeries. If you are a religious member, talking to your spiritual leader about your concerns before and after your procedure can help. Having a congregation praying or lighting candles for you can also help. In many hospitals, chaplains and other religious representatives from different belief systems visit with patients and pray. Ask about this when you schedule your procedure.

Different Types of Therapy

When planning for an upcoming surgical procedure, counseling can help you manage stress and anxiety. Therapy can include meeting with a counselor one-on-one, but it can also have group therapy, music therapy, art therapy, and even animal therapy. There are many options available, and all of them can reduce your pain and speed your healing by lowering your anxiety and promoting relaxation. Physical therapies, such as massage or reiki, can also help.

Depending on your health condition and the type of procedure you are having done, massage might or might not be safe for you. Be sure to discuss this with your doctor and let your massage therapist know about any restrictions. Even having a facial or getting your hair done can help you relax and tap into the mind-body connection if you are anxious or tense. The mind-body connection is strong and can differentiate between a long, drawn-out recovery process and a shorter and less painful one.

Even though you will still have pain after your surgery, knowing how to manage your stress surrounding the pain can help you cope with it better. It can also help you to remain optimistic and to push on despite any obstacles that come up with your healing or with the process of regaining your physical strength. Talk to your healthcare providers about managing your stress and anxiety and using various mind-based therapies to control your pain.

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