LIVRO Above Normal: Redefining Your Disabilities (English Edition) PDF Christina Smith
BAIXAR LIVRO ONLINE
Resumo
Incontinence remains a taboo subject in many cultures which is similar to how we treated the subject of Cancer many years ago. In the western world, we rarely talk about our bowels and how they affect our everyday life. Those who live with incontinence more often than not hide their condition from others the best they can in order not to invite shame and embarrassment upon themselves and others. This can result in a myriad of emotional difficulties for people with this condition such as depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.However, it is now time to shine a light on this dark subject and for those who live with incontinence to do our best to view it as an opportunity to accept who we really are, to change the way we view ourselves and acknowledge the choices we have in our life which often means the only thing we can change is the way we think about the situation. This self-help book was written for people with hidden disabilities, especially those with incontinence issues, with the hope that the author, Christina Smith’s own experiences of overcoming painful situations which have given rise to acute embarrassment, shame and guilt, due to her own experience with a life time of managing incontinence, will help others to change their mind set about who they really are, their situation and help them to rise above their physical and emotional difficulties. By making her story public Christina aims to help people to be less fearful of what will be for many, as we grow older, will an inevitable part of life. Christina has been working as a Counsellor/Therapist specializing in Emotional Therapy and CBT for twelve years and has helped many people to step out of the victim mind set and view themselves and their emotional difficulties in a positive light. She realized that no matter if you have a physical disability or not, we all have to deal with our deep emotional issues which she believes mostly arise from the common feelings of shame, and of abandonment.This book was written as a result of a routine questionnaire Christina was given at a recent hospital visit to see a Conologist, which was the first time she had asked for help with her condition in 40 years. The questionnaire provoked many emotions in Christina, mostly anger as she had had to deal with all these experiences alone, not knowing that there had been help out there for her for all these years and in order to answer the questions fully she knew she needed to write her experiences of how she has dealt with each situation the questionnaire presented. The heading of each chapter is a question from the hospital questionnaire so that specific issues can be focused on. At the end of each chapter Christina has designed a list of questions people can ask themselves in order to promote more understanding, choice and empower people to make the necessary changes to the way they think. Questioning herself about her situation has helped Christina to deal with what to most people would be emotionally destroying. Christina has also included quotes and names of various books, authors, alternative methods and practitioners which have been so helpful to manage her condition.Christina had colostomy surgery at birth due to Imperforate Anus. In 1968 the procedure for this operation was still in its infancy and Christina nearly died a day after she was born. To look at Christina you wouldn’t think that there was anything different about her, indeed she appears ‘normal’. She has lived what to many would consider a ‘normal’ life because she has learnt to hide her disability so very well. However, Christina isn’t ‘normal’. There were more hidden congenital abnormalities which came to come to light as she grew older, including finding she had one kidney, two wombs, two vaginas, finger like thumbs, an extra clavicle rib, absent coccyx and a tethered spinal cord. Christina considers herself and others with such hidden disabilities as ‘above normal’.