Spinal cord injuries: Depression can make life more complicated

A spinal cord injury has various impacts on the victim. One that most people won’t think about is the mental effect that a catastrophic injury has on them. Dealing with this impact can be a challenge, but it isn’t impossible as long as you are up for putting forth the effort.

The first thing that you must realize is that it is normal to grieve the loss of the abilities that you are dealing with now. Once you come to terms with your new normal, it will be easier for you to find ways to adjust.

As you are learning to live with your injury, you might feel a bit down. If that feeling persists and never diminishes, you might be seeping into depression. This requires you to go see a mental health professional for help overcoming it. You might need to take medications or have appointments to talk about what’s going on. The key here is that you need to work to find your happiness.

Sometimes, depression can cause symptoms besides sadness. You might have a loss of energy and trouble sleeping. Losing interest in things that once interested you and having changes in your eating habits can also occur.

Ultimately, your attitude can have a direct impact on how you handle the injury. People who have a more positive attitude might be able to better over the challenges than those who don’t have one. For this reason, you should make sure that you are thinking about ways that you can overcome the obstacles that you are likely going to face as you learn to live your life after the accident.