The Seven Stages to Recovery

The path from ill health to good health takes 7 stages; odd how often 7 comes up. Shakespeare claimed there were 7 ages of human existence, it was said there were 7 wonders of the world, 7 deadly sins and we could go on. The ancient belief systems claimed that a Sharman had to go through 7 heavens, to find knowledge. So seven seems to have significance. I have separated the seven stages in the progression from ill health to good health as follows:-
Recognition
Acceptance
Coping
Treatment
Recovery
Convalescence
Prevention

Recognition is not always as obvious and easy as it first seems. This includes realizing that something is wrong and it includes diagnosis of what the cause and extent of the problem is. Even experienced professionals get this wrong, especially in understanding the extent of the problem. Often some aspects of the problem get dismissed as personality problems or thought of as separate problems. Holistic examination should not separate different symptoms and claim they are separate issues, the whole should be considered as a complete entity.

Acceptance can also be more difficult that people realize. Many people go into a period of “denial” over any ill health problem; this is because of the daft notion that being ill is a sign of weakness. The return to good health needs each stage to be completed in the correct sequence and without doing this there will not be a full return to good health.

Coping, this stage is a necessary intermediary. Functioning, as a participant in life and the recovery of some self esteem, after recognition and acceptance, are vital to the overall well being. This stage includes reduction of pain

Treatment, this is treatment of the cause, the attempt to rectify the actual ill health. This is separate from any intervention that came under coping. i.e. pain relief for physical difficulties and anti depressants for emotional problems, are part of the coping not the real treatment. Sorting out and changing the cause of the ill health is treatment.

Recovery, this takes time and effort. It does not matter whether the problem is physical or emotional; in practice, when a holistic view is taken, it is nearly always a combination of both. Coping and treatment need to continue during this phase. They both need to be adjusted to suit the changing nature of the patient and their individual situation.

Convalescence, the most neglected part of modern treatment, since the industrial revolution we have become driven by the needs of a materialistic society and have lost the patients to allow recovery to be fixed in a patient. So often the same person returns to their medical professional with a “new” ailment a short time after being treated for something. The apparent symptoms may have change but if there has not been recovery and convalescence, it is usually a changed manifestation of the original problem, not a new one. After recovery the whole system needs to adjust, unless it is allowed to then something will go wrong.

Prevention of a return is the last but equally vital stage. This may mean a change of life style, a change of attitude but it does usually involve a change. There was some cause of the original ill health and unless the cause is avoided in future it will return.

Where does Magnetic Therapy fit into all of this?;-Magnets can be used in Coping, Treatment, Recovery and Prevention.
In other articles I have discussed the use of magnetic support wraps to counter the inherent weakness of a repaid structure; we have looked at pain relief and the way magnetic therapy aids blood flow, life force circulation etc. These are facets of coping, treatment, recovery and prevention.
Knowledge is required for Recognition and acceptance. Knowledge helps get the best out of the use of Magnetic Therapy in the other phases. Visit www.magnetictherapy.co.uk to find the best available aids to recovery and details of an “on line” study course, to enable you to practice Magnetic Therapy.