Emotional support following an amputation
We recognise that having an amputation can bring up a range of different emotions, which can feel scary or overwhelming for you and your family or carers. These feelings can affect you immediately or many months or years after your amputation.
Although many people cope well and find a way to move forwards with their lives, others can find this extremely difficult and may need extra support.
How do I know if I need extra support?
As part of your treatment with the prosthetic rehabilitation team, you will be asked to complete two questionnaires before every review meeting. One of these is called the ‘PHQ-9’ and measures low mood and the other is called the ‘GAD-7’ and is a measure of anxiety.
The scores on the questionnaires and the discussion with the team will help you to recognise if you may benefit from some extra emotional support.
Self-soothe by engaging in an activity that you associate with pleasant, calm feelings. It can help to think about trying to use one of your 5 senses, for example:
Smell
Spray or dab your favourite scent onto your pillow or into hot water and inhale.
Sound
Listen to music or a relaxation CD.
Sight
Look at a picture of your favourite place or focus on a calming image.
Touch
Hold or wear a comforting blanket or item of clothing.
Taste
Take the time to savour your favourite food or drink or try something new.
Mindfulness
Our modern lifestyle is often focused on being “busy, busy, busy” and we can often find ourselves dwelling over things that have happened in the past or worrying about things that might happen in the future. Mindfulness is a way of focussing on the here and now.
One example is a mindful breathing exercise:
Sit in a chair and find a comfortable posture. Close your eyes. Allow your body to be held, supported by the chair. Notice the way the chair feels against your body.
Become aware of your breath, tune into the sensations of breathing, wherever you feel them. You do not need to change the way you are breathing, just pay close attention. Sometimes you will find that your mind wanders – and that’s not a problem – it’s what the mind does. Whenever you notice your mind wandering, notice this, and then gently return your attention to the breath.
What support can I get?
If you feel that you are struggling to cope emotionally and would like some psychological support, the following resources are available:
GP
It can help to discuss your mood with your GP, who may prescribe medication to help you to manage difficult emotions and who may also refer you for psychological therapy.
First Step
This is a county-wide service offering talking therapy for individuals aged 18 and over who are experiencing depressed mood and/or anxiety. You can self-refer or ask your GP to make a referral on your behalf. Their contact details are: 0300 123 9122 or
What does psychological therapy involve?
You will be invited for an assessment appointment, during which the psychologist will ask you about your mood, significant life experiences, coping strategies and support.
You will then decide together whether further psychological therapy may be helpful. This can either be individual therapy (just you and the psychologist) or group therapy.
Psychologists use a range of different therapy models; however the most commonly used is cognitive behavioural therapy, or ‘CBT.’ This approach helps you to consider the relationship between your thoughts; feelings; physical symptoms; and behaviour, and to learn different coping strategies to enable you to move forwards with your life.
Common emotions
| Emotion | Thoughts | Physical reaction | Behaviour |
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| Anxiety |
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| Depression |
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| Anger |
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| Grief |
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Helpful coping strategies
Distraction – Take your mind off negative or upsetting thoughts or images by engaging in an activity that requires some concentration, for example:
Alphabet game
Choose a topic of interest e.g. ‘animals.’ Now work through the alphabet from A to Z and try to think of as many things (e.g. animal names) related to that topic as you can, for each letter. If you are unable to think of anything for some letters, just move on.
Counting
Choose a high number e.g. 1,000 and count backwards in 2s, 3s or 5s.
Music
Put some music on and try to really focus on one aspect of the music e.g. words, tune, one of the instruments.
Puzzles/crosswords
Concentrate on a puzzle, word search, crossword or Sudoku etc.
Colouring
Concentrate on colouring in - There are now a range of ‘adult colouring books’ available.
Contact us
Specialist Rehabilitation and Mobility Centre,
Lower Ground Floor,
Cumberland Infirmary
Carlisle,
CA2 7HY
Call 01228 814783
Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm
Confidentiality
‘The Trust’s vision is to keep your information safe in our hands.’ We promise to use your information fairly and legally, and in-line with local and national policies. You have a right to understand how your information is used and you can request a copy of the information we hold about you at any time.
For further information on confidentiality contact the Information Governance Team:
Information.Governance@ncic.nhs.uk | 01228 603961
Feedback
We appreciate and encourage feedback, which helps us to improve our services. If you have any comments, compliments or concerns to make about your care, please contact the Patient, Advice & Liaison Service:
Complaints@ncic.nhs.uk | 01228 814008 or 01946 523818
If you would like to raise a complaint regarding your care, please contact the Complaints Department: