Having a spinal cord injury is a serious life change. Things that you once did without much thought might suddenly be more difficult. This can weigh heavily on your resources, but it might also start to impact your mental health.
Many individuals who have spinal cord injuries realize that their mental health is slipping. It can come on slowly or suddenly, but it always needs to be addressed so that the situation doesn’t get too bad. It’s important that anyone who’s facing this issue understands when they can’t delay getting help.
It is perfectly normal to feel some sense of loss when you’re dealing with a spinal cord injury, especially if the impacts of it are expected to be permanent. Some spinal cord injury victims will feel down some but then they can bounce back from those feelings. The problem occurs when you can’t move beyond those feelings.
Around one out of every five individuals who has a spinal cord injury will suffer from depression. The symptoms can vary greatly, but some of the most common include:
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Lack of energy to do normal activities
- Extreme sadness or feeling more down than usual
Overcoming depression isn’t always easy. It might take several visits to a mental health professional. The bills for this will come on top of the ones for the medical and personal care that are required for the injury. This is a big burden to place on the victim, but seeking compensation can shift it to the liable party.
