The event 'Limb Loss Management for Amputees from the Perspective of a Prosthesis Practitioner' was organized by Üsküdar University Vocational School of Health Services (SHMYO). Ortotist Prosthetist Sevdenur Alageyik was a guest at the event. Alageyik emphasized that psychiatric help plays a significant role in resolving emotional problems in individuals experiencing limb loss, stressing that patients should be referred to a psychiatrist and psychotherapist when necessary.
The event, held at Üsküdar University's Emirnebi 2 conference hall, was moderated by Lect. Kübra Akkalay, Head of the Orthopedic Prosthetics and Orthotics Program.
“The patient group that specialists work with needs to be supported in multiple ways”
Ortotist Prosthetist Sevdenur Alageyik, emphasizing the significant importance of team effort in individuals' adaptation to new situations, stated: “The efforts and approaches of the healthcare team are extremely important in individuals' adaptation to their new situations. Solution-focused strategies such as seeking information and social support, coping through confrontation, self-control, and receiving emotional support are applied as coping methods. Specialists working in this field need to ensure the patient group they work with is supported in multiple ways.”
“The patient may experience body image loss”
Alageyik stated that all activities performed by the lost limb are also lost after amputation; “After amputation, individuals experience intense feelings of fear and anxiety. After amputation, individuals lose not only their organ but also all activities performed with the lost organ. In this situation, the patient may experience body image loss. If individuals who have undergone amputation had problems related to the lost limb before its loss, the loss of the limb can be perceived as a gain.”
“The role of psychiatric help is significant in individuals experiencing limb loss”
Ortotist Prosthetist Sevde Nur Alageyik touched upon some points that specialists, especially those working in the field of Orthopedic Prosthetics and Orthotics, should consider.
Alageyik:
- Family and social interaction in individuals should be strengthened, and the family should be informed about the psychological aspects of the process.
- Individuals should be allowed to express their feelings of pain, distress, sadness, etc.
- If the grieving process extends beyond what is necessary, the individual should be referred to a psychiatrist.
- Individuals accepting their new situations will increase their motivation, allowing them to take control of their own lives.
- Psychiatric help plays a significant role in resolving emotional problems in individuals experiencing limb loss; therefore, patients should be referred to a psychiatrist and psychotherapist when necessary.
Ercan İpek: “You and I are already one, there is no disability”
Ercan İpek, Üsküdar University administrative staff, stating that once you start to accept, there is no such thing as a disability, said: “Knowledge is a very important thing. Three years ago, while I was drinking tea in the garden, a professor asked me a very interesting question. Actually, it's not that interesting, he always asks questions, but the way he asked it was so sweet, so gentle, that I really liked it, he said, ‘How happy are you with your disability?’ He didn't ask 'Why are you disabled?', he asked 'How happy are you?' I truly am happy, do you know why? I had a very good childhood. When I asked myself, 'Why am I disabled?' My hand moves, other people's hands move, I try to walk and fall, others don't, for example, imagine you are a child and you panic for the first time. 'Who controls this hand?' you're a child, how would you know? At first, there was questioning, but positive results came from that questioning. In other words, what we see as difficult, what we see as problems, are actually things that can be overcome, and behind them, we can experience the joy of a beautiful victory. When I went to the disability center, I saw many beautiful things. I admired a person who was serving tea and food in a wheelchair with both hands. He was so happy, so cheerful that I went up to him and asked, 'How do you manage to be so happy?' Is there a secret? He said, 'It's you, brother. I'm not alone, there's no such thing as a disability.' Why not? I asked, 'How not?' He said, 'You and I, we are already one.' And I say, you and I are already one, and there is no disability! The moment you start to accept, there is no such thing as a disability anymore.”