Through appropriate prosthetic treatment, an amputee should experience reductions of pain, conflict, negative emotions, and a sense of helplessness. Confidence replaces frustration as prosthetic proficiency grows. Successful rehabilitation is a psychological as well as a physical state. Each amputee has a unique value system and progresses according to individual abilities.
Achievement relies largely on that person's physical and psychological status before the amputation.
But a mark of success common to all is when the amputation ceases to be the pivotal factor in life. With increased proficiency, awareness of physical limitations lessens. So do feelings of being different or inadequate. Those who have had surgical amputations regard the procedure as restoring health. Many amputees report awareness of an inner strength not present before the loss of the limb.