Psychological and psychotherapeutic assistance for chronically ill and disabled people means support in coping with the psychological and emotional effects of illness or disability. Depending on the problems present, it can be psychotherapy, crisis intervention or psychoeducation.
Why do disabled and chronically ill people need psychological and psychotherapeutic support?
The appearance of a serious illness or disability seriously changes a person’s life. It forces you to modify your daily habits and plans for the future, and also causes fear of pain and long-term treatment. Fear, anger and a sense of injustice are completely natural and the patient has the right to them, but sometimes they lead to a nervous breakdown and depression.
The emotional state affects not only the quality of life, but also the course of treatment, which is why it is so important for every sick or disabled person to have the support of a therapist or psychologist.
What does psychological and therapeutic support for sick and disabled people look like?
The main goal of the work is to eliminate the emotional and mental effects of illness or disability. The therapist supports the patient in the process of accepting changes resulting from the state of health, teaches them to express their emotions safely and helps them find new goals in life.
The illness of one person often affects the whole family, which is why family therapy is sometimes used when working with sick and disabled people. This is a good way to make it easier for loved ones to adapt to the new situation and enable them to better understand the patient’s feelings.