Incontinence can take an incredible emotional toll on the one suffering from it. Aside from physical distress, people often feel depressed, withdrawn and ashamed of their incontinence. In fact, over 90% of incontinence patients surveyed say they have felt depressed, hopeless or isolated due to their condition. And this is partly due to the social stigma surrounding incontinence. Most patients keep their condition a secret, even from their family, which reduces their ability and willingness to participate in everyday events. This, of course, makes feelings of isolation even worse.
But there are ways to build up your confidence, face down your incontinence and move past it to live a full and happy life. Today we are going to discuss 5 ways to manage the emotional burden of incontinence.
1: Find the Right Incontinence Products
Finding the right incontinence products for your needs is one of the most important parts of managing your incontinence. By using the right product, you have the confidence to do day-to-day tasks and activities without worrying about leaks. There are a wide range of solutions available to help you stay leak-free throughout the day. From incontinence pads to pull up underwear, your options are endless.
Modern incontinence products, like those from Holistic Incontinence, have come a long way from older, traditional products that were bulky and uncomfortable. Modern products mean you can wear the right protective solution throughout the day, without anyone else being the wiser. While it may take some time and experimentation to find the right product, you won’t regret it when you enjoy the freedom of the right incontinence product.
2: Pursue Long-Term Treatment
If you’ve been living with incontinence for a while, and still haven’t seen a doctor, now is the time to go! You should never be ashamed to seek medical help. Your doctor is a highly trained professional and they will treat you with kindness and professionalism. People suffering from incontinence can take up to 7 years before they speak to a doctor regarding their incontinence concerns.
But seeking treatment is on of the most empowering thing you can do for yourself. Incontinence is like any other health problem – you don’t know if it can get better until you speak to a professional. By actively doing something about your problem, you are standing up for yourself and making a positive move. Speak to your doctor as soon as possible. There are a wide variety of treatment and management options available for incontinence, which can make a huge difference in your life.
3: Find Someone to Confide In
Talking to a friend or family member can be daunting, especially with personal issues like this. You might already be avoiding them so the topic won’t come up. But talking to someone can help when it comes to managing incontinence. They can be a sounding board to your problems or a shoulder to cry on, so you don’t have to carry the emotional burden on your own. Most people say that opening up to someone is an enormous relief and takes the power away from the incontinence.
But if you simply can’t open up to a family member or friend, at least not yet, then look online for support communities. Talking to fellow incontinence patients can help you, from sharing and commiserating, to finding new tips and techniques for managing your incontinence. Online communities often allow you to post anonymously, so you can find support without exposure.
4: Daily Gratitude
Daily gratitude is probably something you’ve heard about, whether it is on social media or on TV. And while it can be difficult to find things to be grateful for when you have health issues like incontinence, it can help you find the good things in your day, rather than focusing on your incontinence.
By practicing daily gratitude mindfulness, you can find new ways to look at your life. You can practice this by keeping a notebook and writing down as few as three things you’re grateful for, each day. You can expand on these as little or as much as you like. What is important is that we focus on all the things in our life that we are grateful for, and each day you will see more good things over those that upset you, like your incontinence.
5: Taking Up a New Hobby
If you’ve done all the above, then you’re well on your way to conquering the hold incontinence has on your life. Another technique is taking up something new, a new passion or new hobby. From art classes to musical instruments, to dancing or gardening or cooking, there are hundreds of hobbies you can take up that incontinence can’t take away from you. Whatever you have an interest in, go for it!
By showing yourself you can conquer new goals and learn new skills, you are giving yourself a confidence boost throughout the day. Which makes it easier to manage your incontinence and your long term treatments.
Holistic Incontinence has a wide range of products available to help you win back your life. From pads to pull ups, and every absorbency range, we have the right product to improve your life. Explore our range today or contact our helpful team to find the right products for your needs. We also offer discreet home shipping, so you never have to worry about others discovering your incontinence before you’re ready to tell them!