The time it takes between your appointment for your MRI scan and the moment your doctor rings you with the results of your scan can feel like a lifetime, even if in reality it is just a matter of a few weeks. Although it is perfectly natural to experience intense feelings of worry, stress and even dread, these are all entirely counter-productive emotions and (although it is impossible to stop them entirely) there are a variety of ways to minimize your stress.
1. Consider Talking Therapy
Thankfully, seeking talking therapy is finally becoming a lot less taboo and during times of worry, stress and uncertainty (such as waiting for any kind of scan or test results) talking therapy could go a considerable way to alleviating your feelings of dread and anxiety.
Often and for a large number of people, talking to a stranger and medically qualified professional about your feelings, emotions and present mental state is considerably easier to do than a close friend or family member. The benefits of therapy as a treatment option are widely known and plentiful and the therapist will give you the chance to talk, laugh, cry and dissect your emotions regarding the scan and the looming results.
2. Do Not Assume The Worst
Admittedly easier said than done, when waiting for your MRI scan results it is far too easy for your mind to jump to the worst possible conclusion which is obviously extremely counter-productive. There is a wide number of causes for every possible medical problem and the likelihood of it being a serious disease is far less likely than a smaller, minor and easily fixed issue. Remember that just because your doctor has ordered an MRI does in no way automatically mean that there is something seriously wrong with you.
3. Get Moving!
It is a proven medical fact that physical movement and general exercise is as calming and beneficial to the mind as it is for the body and, if you feel you are constantly ruminating on your impending results, better to be thinking about them on a brisk walk through your local park than curled up on the sofa with the drapes drawn.
4. Write Down Your Feelings
The power of the written word is still incredibly underestimated and even if writing down how you feel in the moment does not entirely eradicate your negativity and sense of foreboding, it certainly won’t make matters worse.
The simple act of physically putting pen to paper and writing down all your feelings about your MRI scan and approaching results can make you feel a great deal more in control and surprisingly more self-aware.
If you have been advised to undergo an MRI scan or indeed if you feel yourself you have a medical problem that needs to be explored, you can take matters into your own hands and book your own MRI imaging scan right now, online, with a professional, established and medically experienced facility.