NAION Life!

NAION: Psychological & Emotional Trauma

Although this site focuses on the effects of NAION and sudden vision loss in one eye. The emotional and psychological impact is no greater or less than loss from other eye diseases or accidents; macular degeneration, glaucoma, to name a couple.  The initial acute phase is filled with shock, dismay, fear, anxiety, frustration, and other emotional and psychological issues. It is a traumatic experience.

Below is a generic scenario of a NAION event followed by tips and suggestions to face the initial waves emotions and stress. But not to despair, you will also learn to adapt. The brain has an amazing ability to recalibrate. The adaptation process, for large part, takes approximately 9-12 months according to many. You are likely to find out at the end that many of your fears and anxieties will become a thing of the past and stress will be replaced by confidence and a return to more than less normal life.

Let’s breakdown the scenario as it pertains to the acute phase, the early days, weeks and months. During this period, you will be coming to terms with your vision loss, and how it may affect your daily life.

It begins like this:

You woke up one morning like any other morning. Went about your morning routines and daily tasks, but by the end of the day when suddenly, quietly, without warning, your life would be forever changed. You would not know what hit you. You would not know the full impact for months to come though the waves of emotions began at once and produced a significant amount stress.

Surprise, Bewilderment, and Shock were the emotions on discovery that you were losing some level of vision in your eye. You immediately went to the ER or saw your doctor. You were then sent to an ophthalmologist and diagnosed. You were given the basic rundown of what was likely to take place as far as your vision was concerned. You were maybe told what comorbidities led to the NAION event. Then again, maybe it wasn’t clear. The only thing you walked away with in certainty was that your vision became compromised and there wasn’t much that could be done about it.

Bewilderment and Shock were joined by Disbelief and Anger, “What do you mean it could get worse? What do you mean there is no treatment? What do you mean there is no cure?”

Frustration, Dismay, Loneliness. Learning about his long-winded term, (Non-arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy) that we have never heard of. Each word requiring further research and definition, then reducing the term to a five-letter acronym (NAION) that we will eventually use for concocting a simple explanation to convey our condition to family and friends down the way.

Frustration in trying to understand, to find where to go for answers, who to go to for support and understanding. That there is a serious absence of statistical data about how many of us, in relation to other eye diseases, are among the multitudes who are dealing with very similar situations.

Dismay when our pursuits for information and understanding are limited to medical terms. That the unknown will continue to be unknown indefinitely.

Loneliness in who could possibly understand what we are feeling and going through. Where are my new peers? Where is the community of those who suddenly lost sight in one eye. Where are the groups? Doctors offer little in the way of emotional and practical support and guidance. Some have never even heard of this NAION. There is no literature other than can be found online. The groups we would eventually come to find are our only source for sharing experiences.

Fear. Fear as we begin to settle in and discover the things we once took for granted are introducing themselves to us one by one. Loss of depth perception, will we be able to do our job, take care of the family, drive, play, socialize and so many more.

All this amounts to enormous stress. So how do we handle these emotions? How do we handle this stress?

First of all we need to realize that there have been millions of others with all forms of disabilities who have learned to adapt. All of these emotions and all the stress can be temporary if we choose.

The first thing to do is stop.  Find a quiet place where you can just sit, close your eyes, practice some breathing. A few minutes does wonders. Then think of a few things you’re grateful for and ponder them for a few minutes, then write them down. Very important to write them down.

The stopping part is for a good moment of serenity, of peace of mind to allow you to accept what you cannot change. When you get to this point, you look for, ask for courage to change what you can. Then ask for wisdom to know the difference between what can’t be changed and what can. Do this exercise anytime you start to feel anxious or overwhelmed.

Next, acknowledge. Acknowledge the obvious as well as the not so obvious. Acknowledge the emotions you feel and write them down. You want to get these things out of your brain and onto paper.

Acknowledgement leads to acceptance, acceptance leads to calm, calm leads to moving forward with life.

Take action.

Change shock into calm, frustration into resolve, dismay into open mindedness, loneliness into reaching out to trusted family and friends for support, and fear into hope and faith. And last but not least, the most important of the lot, charity. Giving what you have to others. Your experience. Here is a great quote for when you find yourself feeling lost an/or lonely: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of other.”

It is critical to get your emotions in check in order to reduce stress. It is likely that stress, from whatever life things were happening leading up to NAION, played a role in the event. What’s worse is that stress will likely keep you from recovering your sanity and ability to move on to adapting to the challenges of adjusting to monocular vision.

Should you find yourself tired, withdrawn, irritable, blue, you may have some level of depression and it would be wise to see your doctor for advice.

Other things that we can do are the types of things that should be a part of our daily lives anyway. They include the usual: Exercise, diet, meditation, yoga, pilates, socializing, hobbies, work, Joining affiliated groups. You’ll find an ever growing list under Resources.

Here’s an overview and checklist  of impacts and some practical steps to address the trauma from sudden vision loss:

Psychological and emotional impacts:

1. Shock and disbelief
2. Anxiety and fear about future vision loss
3. Depression and grief over the loss of normal vision
4. Anger and frustration at the sudden change in life circumstances
5. Loss of confidence and self-esteem
6. Social withdrawal and isolation
7. Difficulty adapting to changes in depth perception and spatial awareness
8. Stress related to potential lifestyle changes or career impacts
9. Worry about independence and self-sufficiency

Practical steps to address trauma:

1. Seek professional help:
   • Consult a mental health professional specializing in trauma or adjustment to physical changes
   • Join support groups for individuals with vision loss
2. Learn about the condition:
   • Educate yourself about the cause of vision loss and potential treatments
   • Understand the prognosis and what to expect in the future
3. Develop coping strategies:
   • Practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques
   • Engage in activities that promote emotional well-being, such as exercise or hobbies
4. Adapt your environment:
   • Make necessary adjustments to your home and workplace for safety and accessibility
   • Learn to use assistive devices and technologies
5. Maintain social connections:
   • Stay in touch with friends and family
   • Explain your condition to others to help them understand your needs
6. Focus on rehabilitation:
   • Work with vision rehabilitation specialists to learn new skills
   • Explore occupational therapy options to adapt to daily tasks
7. Set realistic goals:
   • Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps
   • Celebrate small achievements in adapting to your new situation
8. Maintain physical health:
   • Follow up regularly with your eye care professional
   • Maintain a healthy lifestyle to support overall well-being
9. Explore adaptive techniques:
   • Learn monocular vision techniques to compensate for depth perception issues
   • Practice using your remaining vision effectively
10. Consider career counseling:
    • If your vision loss affects your work, seek advice on job adaptations or potential career changes

Remember that adapting to sudden vision loss is a process that takes time. It’s normal to experience a range of emotions, and it’s important to be patient with yourself as you adjust.

The above bulleted items were derived from a Claud AI query.