Nerves before facial surgery is one of the most common issues any FFS patient will encounter as the day approaches. It requires great patience until the much awaited-for day finally arrives after many months of preparation.
The 10th of October is World Mental Health Day, a program begun in 1992 by the World Federation of Mental Health (WFMH). For this reason, today we launch the first of a 4-part series in support of the mental health of our patients. Our psychologist, Marina Rodriguez, will be addressing the many emotions, such as nervousness, that arise before and after surgery.
In the words of the WFMH president,
“The world is experiencing the unprecedented impact of the current global health emergency due to COVID-19 that has also impacted on the mental health of millions of people… the levels of anxiety, fear, isolation…uncertainty and emotional distress experienced have become widespread…”
The current widespread visibility of mental health issues during the pandemic has helped to normalize mental and emotional healthcare. This is key especially for more vulnerable groups such as LGBTIQ+ people, particularly if also an ethnic minority, who are increasingly at risk of suffering from unattended mental health problems.
Contents
Dealing with nerves before facial surgery?
Normally, the decision to have an FFS Surgery is not something that has happened overnight. It has been a thoughtful and studied process over time. Something you have wanted for a long time, yet for one reason or another, it is not a straightforward decision. Many are the necessary choices and steps to take beforehand, which may cause some rattled nerves before facial surgery.
It is precisely this waiting that makes us feel like a bundle of nerves at different times before the surgery, even weeks before.
Signs you are nervous before facial surgery
Sometimes, we do not realize that we are nervous about an upcoming event. It helps to pay attention to the physical and emotional signs that may appear while waiting for the day to come. Here are a few signs of stress and nerves before facial surgery, or any big life event for that matter:
Irritability & Sensitivity
Who hasn’t ever felt irritable or sensitive? It’s normal! Moments when everything feels wrong or we cry for any minor mishap that we would have typically overcome without further ado. This irritability is to be expected when something worries you. Just be aware of it so you may try to control your reactions. This becomes easier when you see your reactions are a product of nerves.
Hyperactivity or Over-stimulation
Another sensation, more physical, is to feel that you are over-activated. Your heart is beating fast, you cannot even feel relaxed on the sofa. This state of over-stimulation is the natural, instinctual “fight-or-flight” response that your mind/body generates to face any unknown or a big event. If in your case you have had other surgeries before, surely your heart is beating and you feel accelerated because you know what the a postoperative period and general anesthesia entail.
Insomnia & Nerves
Perhaps due to this over-activation or irritability, one of the most common symptoms of nervousness is insomnia. Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep through the night is frustrating as many know. This really is nothing more than a signal that your body and brain are alert, preparing for what lies ahead.
In order to deal with this kind of insomnia, try to stick to healthy sleep routines, such as getting to bed at the same time each evening to fit in the recommended 6-8 hours of rest. Also, avoid copious evening meals and drinks with stimulants, like coffee or tea. If you like reading, use an actual book or other relaxing activity in bed that doesn’t involve looking at screens. Many people benefit from practicing simple relaxation and breathing exercises. We actually created some for you in our comprehensive services page on well-being, just click the tab “relaxation“.
Nervousness vs. Anxiety
There is a big difference here. We must distinguish all these physical and emotional sensations related to nervousness, from those that accompany anxiety. Anxiety is more intense. It makes you feel dramatically worse physically. The manifestations of anxiety may include chest tightness, palpitations, cold sweats, the urge to escape, an intense fear that something bad will happen, shortness of breath or dizziness.
While it is normal for you to feel at wits end with nerves before surgery, it is not so common to feel anxiety before facial surgery. Anxiety is considered an emotional disorder. If you suffer from anxiety, you should not underestimate its impact. We recommend you seek help from a professional as it is probably not related to the surgery, but a combination of factors of your life in general.
Reach out for help managing nerves
In short, with this blog we just want to convey that it is perfectly human to feel nervous at times, especially something like surgery. If you are looking to spend more attention on your own emotional healthcare, join one of the World Health Organization (WHO) activities for World Mental Health Day 2020!
If you would like to discuss issues with nerves before surgery (or anytime) with our psychologist, do not hesitate to ask your coordinator to set up an appointment. Have a look at our playlist of videos on relaxation, breathing exercises, and visualization that are helpful in dealing with nerves before facial surgery.
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FFS patient - Support Group Sessions | FACIALTEAM Comprehensive Care
#facialfeminisation #genderaffiriming #facialsurgery
[CC available in English]
Excellence in Facial Gender Surgery ( FFS Surgery ) - FACIALTEAM.
Visit our before and after gallery on the website: https://www.facialteam.eu
e-mail: consultations@facialteam.eu
See more videos on our channel! https://www.youtube.com/user/Facialteam
FACIALTEAM's psychologist, Marina, speaks about the group and individual support sessions available to facial feminization patients, a part of the integral care system that puts patient wellbeing first, be it before or after surgery. -
Relaxation for FFS Surgical Patients- Breathing
World Leader in Facial Feminization Surgery ( FFS Surgery ) - FACIALTEAM.
Visit our before and after gallery on the website: https://www.facialteam.eu
e-mail: orientations@facialteam.eu
See more videos on our channel! https://www.youtube.com/user/Facialteam
FT wants our patients to receive the best possible attention, not only from a surgical standpoint, but also with regard to other personal aspects that we consider extremely important if you are going to feel well before, during and after your facial feminization procedure.
Taking care of the body and mind is an essential part of everybody’s wellbeing. It is well known that the concept embodied in the phrase mens sana in corpore sano has become increasingly meaningful, with more and more people making the effort to care for both their body and their thoughts and emotions.
It is for this reason that we want to give you some basic advice that will help ensure that you are as prepared as possible when you arrive for your operation. These are physical and mental exercises that you can do during the weeks before your operation, so that the experience is both full and fulfilling. And, of course, if you make these exercises a part of your daily life, you’ll be able to maintain this essential sense of wellbeing.
HOW SHOULD I APPROACH MY SURGERY?
It is very common for people who are going to have an operation to be anxious and worried about it, even if they know that they are making the right decision.
One frequent source of anxiety is fear of the pain that may follow the operation. When you arrive in Marbella the day before your operation, we’ll explain everything you need to know and talk to you about the pain that you may feel. To ease your concerns: we can tell you that patients do not suffer intense pain after the surgery and that any discomfort is easily treated with the appropriate medication. The pain that you might experience will be no worse than any headache you may have had at some time.
Another common source of anxiety is the fear of anesthesia. Patients may be frightened that they will not wake up or, on the contrary, that they will wake up during the operation. There is essentially no likelihood that this will happen. During your operation, you will be constantly monitored by your doctors and anesthetists to ensure that everything is going according to plan, so there are really no grounds for these fears.
In any case, don’t hesitate to ask any questions that you might have about the procedure, since this will help decrease your level of anxiety before the operation.
It is also important to think about the expectations you have regarding the results of the operation. If you’re expecting a very radical change or think that your life is going to make a 180º turn because of the surgery, this may generate more anxiety than if you think of the surgery as just one part of a process with several steps.
Each person has a basic bone structure that we use to adapt the changes requested by the patient to their anatomy. However, it’s important to remember that we are not working with a plastic, flexible material like clay, and that the cranial structure sets some limits. It is much better to have appropriate and realistic expectations about feminizing your features than to covet the features of some famous person. We want your result to be natural and you to be satisfied, which is why it’s important for your expectations to be realistic. The 180º turn in your life will also depend on secondary factors.
Transcription:
''Hello, I am Marina Rodríguez, the psicologist and post operative coordinator of FT. I woud like to give you some reccomendations for improving your wellbeing for the surgery with differents relaxations techniques. You can use it before and after your surgery as well as the rest of your life if you wish.''
Breathing
Focusing on your breathing is also a useful relaxation technique. To do this, you want to focus on slow diaphragmatic breathing or simply on how you breathe naturally.
• Slow diaphragmatic breathing: put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach to ensure that the air reaches the lowest part of your lungs without moving your chest.
• As you slowly inhale, bring the air to the low part of your lungs, distending your stomach and belly a little without moving your chest.
• Hold the air in this position for a moment.
• Slowly release the air, pulling your stomach and belly in a little, without moving your chest.
• Try to stay relaxed and let yourself relax even more as you release the air.
• Inhale counting to five, hold it counting to three and release it counting to five. -
Relaxation for FFS Surgery patients - Progressive Muscular Relaxation
World Leader in Facial Feminization Surgery ( FFS Surgery ) - FACIALTEAM.
Visit our before and after gallery on the website: https://www.facialteam.eu
e-mail: orientations@facialteam.eu
See more videos on our channel! https://www.youtube.com/user/Facialteam
It is very common for people who are going to have an operation to be anxious and worried about it, even if they know that they are making the right decision.
One frequent source of anxiety is fear of the pain that may follow the operation. When you arrive in Marbella the day before your operation, we’ll explain everything you need to know and talk to you about the pain that you may feel. To ease your concerns: we can tell you that patients do not suffer intense pain after the surgery and that any discomfort is easily treated with the appropriate medication. The pain that you might experience will be no worse than any headache you may have had at some time.
Another common source of anxiety is the fear of anesthesia. Patients may be frightened that they will not wake up or, on the contrary, that they will wake up during the operation. There is essentially no likelihood that this will happen. During your operation, you will be constantly monitored by your doctors and anesthetists to ensure that everything is going according to plan, so there are really no grounds for these fears.
In any case, don’t hesitate to ask any questions that you might have about the procedure, since this will help decrease your level of anxiety before the operation.
It is also important to think about the expectations you have regarding the results of the operation. If you’re expecting a very radical change or think that your life is going to make a 180º turn because of the surgery, this may generate more anxiety than if you think of the surgery as just one part of a process with several steps.
Each person has a basic bone structure that we use to adapt the changes requested by the patient to their anatomy. However, it’s important to remember that we are not working with a plastic, flexible material like clay, and that the cranial structure sets some limits. It is much better to have appropriate and realistic expectations about feminizing your features than to covet the features of some famous person. We want your result to be natural and you to be satisfied, which is why it’s important for your expectations to be realistic. The 180º turn in your life will also depend on secondary factors.
Transcription:
''Hello, I am Marina Rodríguez, the psicologist and post operative coordinator of FT. I woud like to give you some reccomendations for improving your wellbeing for the surgery with differents relaxations techniques. You can use it before and after your surgery as well as the rest of your life if you wish.''
Progressive muscular relaxation
This is a very effective relaxation technique that consists of tensing and relaxing different muscle groups in two different phases. In the first, you consciously tense your muscles for a few seconds and in the second, you release the tension and concentrate on how your muscles feel. You divide your muscle groups like this:
• Sitting in the most comfortable chair possible with your hands on your knees, breathe in deeply, locate the tension in your body and try to release it.
• Then focus on your forehead. Tense the muscles of your forehead as hard as you can for 5 seconds. Then gradually release the tension and concentrate now how these relaxed muscles feel for 10 seconds.
• Close your eyes, squeezing hard for 5 seconds and then release the tension and concentrate on how your eyes feel when they are completely relaxed.
• Follow the same procedure, tensing your nose muscles and pressing your lips together.
• Raise your shoulders up to your ears, squeezing your neck and follow the same tension and relaxation procedure.
• Stretch your right arm forward, make a fist and tense all of your arm muscles for 5 seconds, then progressively relax the muscle for 10 seconds. Repeat the procedure with your left arm.
• Do exactly the same with your legs.
• Bend your back forward, noting the pressure that builds up in the middle of it. In this position, raise your bent elbows backwards and tense your muscles as much as possible for 5 seconds, then begin to release the tension little by little, returning to your original position.
• Strongly tense your stomach muscles (abdominals) and focus on the feeling of relaxation that appears when you release them.
• Do the same with your buttocks and thighs. -
Relaxation for FFS Surgery Patients - Visualization
World Leader in Facial Feminization Surgery ( FFS Surgery ) - FACIALTEAM.
Visit our before and after gallery on the website: https://www.facialteam.eu
e-mail: orientations@facialteam.eu
See more videos on our channel! https://www.youtube.com/user/Facialteam
FT wants our patients to receive the best possible attention, not only from a surgical standpoint, but also with regard to other personal aspects that we consider extremely important if you are going to feel well before, during and after your facial feminization procedure.
Taking care of the body and mind is an essential part of everybody’s wellbeing. It is well known that the concept embodied in the phrase mens sana in corpore sano has become increasingly meaningful, with more and more people making the effort to care for both their body and their thoughts and emotions.
It is for this reason that we want to give you some basic advice that will help ensure that you are as prepared as possible when you arrive for your operation. These are physical and mental exercises that you can do during the weeks before your operation, so that the experience is both full and fulfilling. And, of course, if you make these exercises a part of your daily life, you’ll be able to maintain this essential sense of wellbeing.
HOW SHOULD I APPROACH MY SURGERY?
It is very common for people who are going to have an operation to be anxious and worried about it, even if they know that they are making the right decision.
One frequent source of anxiety is fear of the pain that may follow the operation. When you arrive in Marbella the day before your operation, we’ll explain everything you need to know and talk to you about the pain that you may feel. To ease your concerns: we can tell you that patients do not suffer intense pain after the surgery and that any discomfort is easily treated with the appropriate medication. The pain that you might experience will be no worse than any headache you may have had at some time.
Another common source of anxiety is the fear of anesthesia. Patients may be frightened that they will not wake up or, on the contrary, that they will wake up during the operation. There is essentially no likelihood that this will happen. During your operation, you will be constantly monitored by your doctors and anesthetists to ensure that everything is going according to plan, so there are really no grounds for these fears.
In any case, don’t hesitate to ask any questions that you might have about the procedure, since this will help decrease your level of anxiety before the operation.
It is also important to think about the expectations you have regarding the results of the operation. If you’re expecting a very radical change or think that your life is going to make a 180º turn because of the surgery, this may generate more anxiety than if you think of the surgery as just one part of a process with several steps.
Each person has a basic bone structure that we use to adapt the changes requested by the patient to their anatomy. However, it’s important to remember that we are not working with a plastic, flexible material like clay, and that the cranial structure sets some limits. It is much better to have appropriate and realistic expectations about feminizing your features than to covet the features of some famous person. We want your result to be natural and you to be satisfied, which is why it’s important for your expectations to be realistic. The 180º turn in your life will also depend on secondary factors.
Transcription:
''Hello, I am Marina Rodríguez, the psicologist and post operative coordinator of FT. I woud like to give you some reccomendations for improving your wellbeing for the surgery with differents relaxations techniques. You can use it before and after your surgery as well as the rest of your life if you wish.''
Visualization
Visualization is a technique in which you imagine a feared event and try to feel as relaxed as possible at the same time. This gets you used to the idea of what might happen and prepares your emotions for that event.
o Every day, for the 15 days before the operation, spend 10 minutes imagining how you are going to feel after the operation, with your eyes closed and in a relaxing setting. Focus on imagining that you’re going to be fine, relaxed, with little discomfort and adapting well. You can combine this technique with music therapy or aromatherapy to reach an optimal state of relaxation.
Check out the other posts of the mental health series on emotions, the difference between a low mood and postoperative depression as well as figuring out if you are ready for FFS.
