Osteoporosis and Fear of Falling
You have heard the warnings from your doctor. You have studied the pamphlets. You have read the information online, and you have talked to several friends who have already been through it. Falling is bad. Falling when you have osteoporosis is even worse.
Their warnings range from cautionary tales to flat out fear-inducing tragedies. In the beginning you took appropriate precautions. You were safe and secure. People kept telling you to be careful and to be safe. You were. But along the way, something began to change.
You noticed that you stayed in more and went out less. You figured that it would just be easier to stay in the safety of your home, and whatever you needed could wait until tomorrow. You may not have realized it, but this was anxiety and fear taking over.
You know that osteoporosis robs your body of its needed bone density. Whether it was due to menopause, poor diet, a medical condition or just the passing of time, your bones have lost what they once had.
The other thing that osteoporosis attempts to steal is your independence. When you stay in more, you lose a part of yourself. Now, it is time for things to change. It is time for you to get yourself back. Here’s how:
Forget Fear
You’ve been able to identify the problem: Anxiety is keeping you afraid and inside too much. The goal is to find balance between the real fear and the anxious fear. The truth is that osteoporosis is scary, but you have to know that the reward is usually worth the risk.
If you can tell the difference between the real risk and the anxious risk, you can still have a life filled with pleasurable experiences and positive supports that you always strived to achieve. The following method helps by systematically removing your fears and challenging the perceived limitations of your condition.
