People tend to focus on the physical symptoms a person who has a spinal cord injury will suffer from, but there are other impacts that they need to consider after this type of catastrophic injury. A spinal cord injury can affect a person’s mental health and overall lifestyle.
For some people with spinal cord injuries, the loss of mobility and inability to earn a living combine to make having a social life difficult. This can have a negative impact on their mental health.
What mental health challenges might a person with a spinal cord injury face?
Spinal cord injuries are very challenging. The patient may become dependent upon others, which removes their independence. This can lead to anxiety and depression. The anxiety may be because they never have meaningful privacy and are worried that some of their care will be overlooked.
They may also fear that they’re a burden on their loved ones. This thought and the challenges they’re facing can bring these victims down even more. While sadness over the situation is common, these emotions should be addressed if they become overwhelming.
Mental health care from a professional can be an important component of spinal cord injury care. It’s an unexpected expense for some people, but it’s one that should be made a priority.
Suffering a spinal cord injury comes with a considerable cost. Compensation claims are possible when your injury was the result of someone else’s negligence. You can include damages, such as missed wages and medical care costs, in the compensation claim. New Jersey limits your time to file, so work diligently with someone familiar with these matters to get it handled within the allowable timeframe.