How do injuries impact mental health?

Recovering from a serious injury can be difficult, especially if it’s disrupted your daily life. It can be a lot to deal with, especially if it’s taken a toll on both your physical and emotional wellbeing.

It’s common for injuries to have a significant impact on our mental health. In this article, we’ll be exploring why this is and how you can try to prevent this from occurring.

What mental health issues can be caused by injury?

Serious physical injuries or chronic illness can lead to serious mental health problems, including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And, if your mental wellbeing is affected, the recovery process will likely take a lot longer.

You may find yourself suffering from poor mental health due to several reasons, from experiencing trauma as a result of the accident to the time spent staying in hospital.

Reduced mobility can cause major disruption too – you may not be able to leave the house or socialise with friends and family, causing enhanced feelings of loneliness.

Injuries and mental health in sport

Many athletes are prone to suffering from mental health problems following a severe physical injury, even though it’s an unavoidable risk.

The psychological impact can certainly be overwhelming. Feelings of isolation, sadness, denial and anger can take over, as well as loneliness and frustration.

And, if the injury is life-changing, it can ultimately end an athlete’s career and completely ruin their goals and aspirations.

Head and brain injuries

Several head and brain injuries can negatively impact an individual’s mental health due to the damage caused to areas of the brain. Some of these injuries include traumatic, acquired or hypoxic brain injuries.

Traumatic brain injuries refer to a blow, jolt or another form of external damage to the head. These are often seen as a ‘hidden disability’ due to their being no visible signs of trauma, despite the individual suffering from mental health issues as a result.

These types of injuries often require expensive treatment, too. That’s why it’s worth speaking to a team of brain injury solicitors who can help you seek compensation and fund the treatment process.

How can you treat mental health?

Early diagnosis of mental health is important. The sooner it’s identified, the quicker it can be treated and the less time will be spent suffering.

Seeking advice and treatment is a great first step – it’s completely okay to ask for help, even if you’re not too sure of what you’re suffering from. There are lots of options out there for you, including speaking to your GP, a trained therapist, local charities or even just your friends and family.