Recovering From Brain Surgery

Discovering that you need to have brain surgery to remove a tumor or address other serious health concerns can be frightening. Unlike other surgeries, brain surgery may not cause a lot of physical discomfort; recovering from brain surgery requires mental reconditioning instead of physical reconditioning. Fortunately, you can utilize cognitive remediation to help you heal.

Here are three important things that you need to know about the cognitive remediation process.

1. Cognitive remediation can be fun.

Although most people associate therapy treatments with hard work, cognitive remediation can actually be fun. Activities that are designed to help your brain form new neural pathways following brain surgery can be quite enjoyable.

Many patients participate in completing puzzles, playing card games, and socializing with other patients receiving treatment. When you are able to recognize the fact that cognitive remediation will be fun, recovering from brain surgery can seem less daunting.

2. Cognitive remediation focuses on strategies.

In addition to having you engage in activities that will rewire the way your brain functions after surgery, cognitive remediation focuses on strategies that you will need to successfully navigate life post-surgery.

Many of these strategies are designed to help prevent memory lapses. You will learn how to keep a memory journal or daily planner, and you will learn to break larger tasks down into smaller and more manageable tasks so that you don't become overwhelmed. The strategies learned through cognitive remediation can have a positive impact on your life as you move forward through the healing process.

3. Cognitive remediation is a collaborative treatment.

It's important that you recognize cognitive remediation is a collaborative type of treatment. You will work closely with your doctor to develop a plan of action that will help you meet your own unique and specific goals as you utilize cognitive remediation to heal from brain surgery.

Cognitive remediation also recognizes the overlap between memory, attention, and executive functions, so you will engage in activities that are designed to improve your abilities in all three areas. Being able to have some input when it comes to your treatment can make recovering from brain surgery a lot less daunting.

Undergoing brain surgery can be a frightening thought. It's important to realize that you will be able to use advanced treatments like cognitive remediation to help you successfully navigate through the arduous healing process once your surgery is complete. For more information about brain surgery and how to recover, contact professional neurosurgeons in your area who are familiar with the type of surgery you need.


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