Often in the aftermath of an accident, the focus is on sustained physical injuries.
Personal injuries cause pain and disability, which can be temporary or permanent. The damage can require hospital intervention, and it may take months of recovery before you are back to normal.
However, accidents and injuries also cause unseen psychological trauma, ranging from mild mental health changes and emotional problems to full-blown PTSD. If you’ve been in a car accident, medical practice incident, workplace mishap, or anything else, here’s what to know about unseen trauma and managing it.
How to Manage the Immediate Impact of Personal Injury
Medical assistance for physical injuries is always the first port of call after an accident.
However, hot on its heels is the fundamental importance of taking professional and expert advice. Commonly, this is not the first thing that victims and their families focus on, but it could provide essential protection and financial support in the months ahead.
Personal injury law varies from state to state, so always make sure the advice you take is relevant to where the accident happened. For instance, if you are on holiday in Florida, and the incident occurred in Boynton Beach, look for injury law Boynton Beach specialists. Local attorneys will know how to navigate the specific municipal and state laws.
Physical injuries can sometimes take time to resolve and can be life-changing but don’t underestimate the psychological impact of an accident.
The Impact of Personal Injury on Mental Wellbeing
Whether the injuries sustained are temporary or permanent, an accident can have a real psychological impact on the victim and their immediate family.
An injury can mean changes to the household, and this can include:
- A change of role in the family
- Getting used to care from health professionals
- Alterations to lifestyle with restrictions on previous activities
- A change in people’s perception of you
- An inability to work that leads to a reduction in income and loss of earnings
These changes can impact mental health quite significantly.
It’s easy to focus on the trauma of a severe and distressing accident, and some people do suffer from PTSD. Still, the changes which occur afterward because of the injuries can also cause invisible psychological and emotional distress.
Mental Health and Emotional Problems Following an Accident
After an accident, emotional and psychological problems can manifest in ways that may not appear immediately. They can often leave a difficult legacy long after the physical injuries have healed.
Sufferers may feel depressed long-term and withdraw from family and friends, no longer enjoying activities that once were a feature of their lives.
Confidence can vaporize, a void some people fill with either increased food intake or reliance on alcohol, medication, or drugs.
Sleep patterns are disturbed, and you may constantly feel irritable or grumpy, helpless or worthless.
There is increasing recognition amongst healthcare professionals that the psychological and emotional impact of an accident can be just as severe as the manifest physical injuries.
The Takeaway
Psychological and mental health impacts can be devastating after a personal injury. However, support is available post-trauma and can form an essential part of a settlement package negotiated by your legal representative.
Photo Credit
Photo is from Max Pixel
Guest Author Bio
Russell E.
Russell is an ex-Marketing Journalist. He lives in Utah with his family and is a keen aviation enthusiast in his spare time.
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