People disabled, such as the injured Iraq war veterans, workers, accident victims and others, are usually under tremendous stress. The deepest pain with disability is that the freedom of the person is taken away internally, making it seem hopeless. In addition, they have to face many sudden changes, both physical and psychological. The tremendous stress can affect their thinking, and prevent them from properly viewing their future recoveries and taking care of their physical bodies. Dr. Benson at Harvard has proven with years of studies that they may have other cognitive, psychological and physical symptoms negatively affecting them from stress as well.

In addition, not every doctor tries hard enough, as indicated below, and some attorneys focus more on financial outcomes. These two "authority figures" in their lives can put their recoveries into a cage of deeper depression and lower motivation.

My family has been there, too. After a tragic accident, my mother was placed on a ventilator. After five weeks of intensive care, the ICU physicians concluded that my mother would be ventilator-dependent for the rest of her life. My mother refused to live on a machine. I had to hold my tears to do my own assessment. I found my mother did not breathe efficiently, so I taught her a new way to breathe and practiced with her. Within three days, my mother was taken off the ventilator successfully. Had I not questioned ICU doctors, as well as my own physicians at that time, my mother would have chosen to die.

Later during rehabilitation, various experts gave us similar "usual" predictions. Again, we did our way--we tried many kinds of relaxation methods, and worked with nine other specialists, including herbs and acupuncture. Now my mother has been able to shop, cook, talk and laugh rather independently again. There are many turnaround stories like my mother's in rehabilitation and other recovery. Having been there, I know the pain deeply. Every injured person deserves the best recovery and to have his or her life back. There is an effective method during rehabilitation process.

A big part of rehabilitation is thorough stress management as well as some human software updating (mind) and some health maintenance. The injured people need a customized stress & recovery program. Our thinking system is like software running inside of us -- we can learn, relearn and update. Several rehabilitation programs, including Mayo's and Harvard's, have also noticed the importance of stress management in rehabilitation.

This group of people can have many other types of external and internal stressors, such as financial and social support, their own beliefs and views, their stress coping style, poor health maintenance, and, ultimately, poor recoveries. Injured people need to build up their own relaxation hierarchy, so they can think clearly, participate in their recoveries efficiently, including seeking help as needed. There are 16 kinds of relaxation with many variations of each kind; deep breathing and meditation are two kinds. In addition to staying healthy, the injured can learn from successful recovery stories, have their related human software updated, and revitalize their internal power. Preventing tomorrow's stress is particularly important to this group, due to their low reserves.

Under this custom program, the injured will learn how to maintain a clear mind, efficient software and good health; they will learn not to follow "authority figures" blindly, but trust themselves more, try harder and smarter, and recover better and faster, like my family. Some of them may need more and stronger assistance, such as antidepressants, to pass their most difficult times.

The quicker this group can recover, the more confident they can be, and the harder they will try. The faster they can stand up, the more productive and happy they will be, our society and businesses will be, and the more medical and legal costs businesses, insurance companies and government can save in the long run. Many individuals have a good chance to stand up if they are able to utilize their full potential and all resources.

Are you or your people utilizing yours and their full potential and all resources to recover and stand up?