Be thoughtful about your media choices
Directly following surgery and at least for the next week or two, you’ll be pretty fragile and I would even say permeable, vulnerable. So be mindful of what you’re taking in by way of TV and movie and news. Of course, I had my surgery just before the 2016 election so the airwaves and news sites were overflowing with the most hateful and triggering Trump and Hillary related material. It was hard to turn it off and I was not always successful. And there were times that I felt panicky. Would you eat a greasy bacon cheeseburger right after surgery? No? Then don’t watch the cognitive equivalent.
Going in, I had planned to entertain myself with comedies, nature programs, and inspiring documentaries and films. And indeed, I found that I could not sit through a dark, futuristic show like “Black Mirror”. Films like “Joy” (which were full of emotional ups and downs) were deeply nurturing to me, especially when they triggered a little tenderness or even tears.
We reach for stimulation when we need nourishment. We may crave sugar when we are actually deficient in nutrients. What is nourishing and nurturing? That will be specific to you but be mindful of how you feel after you eat or consume media, and let that be your guide.