4 Tips to Look After Your Mental Health After a Spinal Injury

4 Tips to Look After Your Mental Health After a Spinal Injury

Suffering from a spinal injury can be devastating, with the potential to impact your entire existence and, sadly, affect your mental health. In this article, we deliver four tips to look after your mental health after a spinal injury. 

No matter the circumstances of your spinal injury, it can be a traumatising situation to experience and live with for potentially the remainder of your life. If your injury was through no fault of your own, and instead the negligence of someone else, a spinal injury or cauda equina solicitors will be able to assist you with the process of claiming compensation. This way, you can be sure you are fully supported while recovering and moving forward with your life.

Sadly, statistics relating to spinal cord injury and developing a mental health condition are significantly high. Almost 80% of adults living with spinal cord injuries having an increased risk of developing psychological conditions in comparison to those without. 

To see more about taking care of your mental health following a spinal injury, keep reading…

1. Establish a Routine 

Without a routine in place, it can be hard to motivate yourself or think positively about the present and future. 

Those without a routine are more likely to be stressed, have poor sleep, poor eating habits and not use their time efficiently, such as running out of time, being late, etc. A solid routine for both those with and without a spinal cord injury is highly recommended, as they provide many healthy benefits. Examples include better stress levels, better sleep and better overall health, including both mental and physical. 

It can be hard to put a routine in place but, by starting small, you can slowly add to the list. Starting small could be by putting a strict bedtime routine in place, making sure you go to sleep and wake up at the exact time each day. This can help ensure you are getting enough sleep. 

A strict sleep routine is important for both your physical and mental health. Your body repairs while you sleep, so the more sleep, the better. Sleep also helps to facilitate the brain when it is processing emotional information. For those with a spinal cord injury, this can help you come to terms with your injury. 

To learn more about the role sleep plays in mental health, see the Sleep Foundation’s article: Mental Health and Sleep.

2. Speak to a Therapist 

A spinal cord injury is a traumatic situation to experience and has the potential to seriously impact your mental health, even potentially causing PTSD problems. To ensure you are not impacted long-term, speaking to a counsellor or therapist is encouraged. 

A therapist has the skill, knowledge and expertise to walk you through your trauma, working out how to rebuild your life and move forward.

3. Talk to Loved Ones

Mental health is sadly a topic of discussion many individuals avoid having, but sadly suicide rates are significantly high, particularly among boys and men. For England in 2021, there were 15.8 male suicides per 100,000. There are people out there ready to listen and provide the support you need to get better. 

Suffering from a traumatic spinal cord injury is life changing and is understandably going to impact your mental health. Your family and friends will want to be there to support you through it. Consider being upfront and open with them; hiding how you feel will not help and potentially make matters worse. 

4. Take the Time to Accept Your Injury

It can be a daunting prospect to suffer from an injury that has left you unable to live life like you once were able to. Fortunately, it is possible to recover some function from your injury, but in cases where this is possible, it can take up to 18 months. 

On the other hand, it is sadly very rare for individuals who have suffered a spinal injury to completely recover and regain the function of their entire body. This can be hard to come to terms with, as it’s entirely understandable that an injured person would want to get better and be able to go back to how things once were. 

While it can be difficult to grasp, accepting your injury will significantly help with mental health problems and moving forward with your life. Some ways you could recover mentally is by changing your perspective on life, writing down your thoughts and feelings, setting goals, focusing on the aspects which you can control in your life, finding a hobby, talking to friends and family, and much more. 

Taking Care of Your Mental Health Is Crucial 

In general, every person’s mental health is so important, but when you are someone who has experienced a traumatic event that has changed your entire life, the likelihood of your mental health deteriorating is higher. 

Taking care of yourself mentally and physically after an injury, such as a spinal cord injury, is crucial. This article provides a number of different ways to make that possible. Try them out and see what works for you. 

Have you suffered an injury that has impacted your life? Let us know how you take care of your mental health. 

Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a trained medical professional. Be sure to consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you’re seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.