Mental Recovery After An Injury

Recovering from an injury does not only mean physical healing. It is extremely important to remember the mental and emotional aspects of an injury. Mental recovery after an injury is just as important as physical healing. This is especially true of a very serious injury resulting in extreme damage. Becoming physically injured certainly takes a toll on your mental health and wellbeing, this must not be overlooked. Mentally recovering from an injury is an important part of a complete recovery.

Emotional Struggle Is Common

If you experience emotional distress after an injury, you are not alone. Even a little injury can lead to big stress. Most injured people experience one or all of these symptoms:

• sadness
• depression
• despair
• hopelessness
• anxiety
• anger
• fear
• loss of appetite
• increase in appetite
• panic attacks
• insomnia

If you experience any of the above symptoms after an injury, you are not alone.

Even Athletes Struggle

Many professional athletes struggle with this, as their identity is dependent on their physical capabilities. When athletes experience a physical injury, it can leave them lost and uncertain about their future, unknowing if they will ever be able to recover back to their full ability. Even if an athlete is able to make a full recovery, there is always uncertainty moving forward. Questions such as if the injury will leave long-term effects, and if it will happen again will always remain in the back of their minds. It can leave athletes feeling like all of their hard work and accomplishments have been thrown out the window.

Path To Mental Recovery

There are very clear-cut rehabilitation programs aimed toward recovering from a physical injury. Prescriptions, physical therapy, and surgeries can help cure physical injuries.

However, when it comes to mental rehabilitation the protocol is not so clear. Unfortunately, it is not discussed as often as it should be. Many people neglect their mental health following an injury and skip the necessary steps to mental recovery. Moving forward, more attention should be given to the mental aspect of recovering from an injury. Here is some advice on how to focus on your mental health through your recovery process.

An Injury Can Happen To Anyone

One of the most important things to remember when you are recovering from an injury is injuries do not discriminate. Getting injured can happen to anyone, at any time. Oftentimes, there is little that the injured party could have done to avoid the injury.

Don’t Focus On Blame

Try not to focus too much on whose fault it is. Leave that to your lawyer! Focus on moving forward rather than looking for something to blame and what could have been done differently. If you can, your mental recovery process will move much quicker.

Injuries Aren’t Fair

Additionally, try not to fixate on how unfair your injury is. In unfortunate circumstances, it is more productive to take steps forward instead of worry about what you cannot control.

Ask For Help

One of the first steps of mental recovery is to not isolate yourself. Do not be ashamed to ask for support from your friends and family.

Talk To A Therapist

Reach out for the professional help and care you need. Friends and family can only help so much. If you find you aren’t making progress, seek help from a professional.

Find A Support Group

Find support groups of people in similar situations. A solid support system will remind you that you are not alone and will get through this difficult time. Support groups are a great resource of people that are going through the exact same situations. Lean on local and virtual support groups.

Look For The Positive

Another way to power through the recovery process is to remember where you want to be in the future. By visualizing what you want your post-recovery life to look like, you are remembering there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This helps you push through the tough times, knowing better days are to come.

By visualizing your future, you are helping yourself feel successful and confident again. Building your self-esteem is one of the most important aspects of healing your mental health following an injury. After an injury, it is easy to feel ashamed, embarrassed, and useless. However, maintaining a positive view of yourself will help you feel that you are worthy of recovery. This will fuel your desire to recover and tend to all of your needs.

Educate Yourself

Learn about the steps to mental recovery. Everyone heals differently. But, understanding the process helps you know what to expect. Knowing what to expect will prepare you when bad feelings or thoughts come. Knowledge is power, especially in recovery. This will also help you move forward and avoid any further damage or injury.

Don’t Compare

Finally, the most important part of completing a mental recovery following a physical injury is to not compare. Do not compare your pre-injury self to your post-injury self. This will damage confidence and make you feel like your progress is not good enough. It will make you feel that you have to rush to get back to where you were – which can often make things worse. Comparisons will not help you move forward in a productive way and only take you backward.

It Gets Better

Physical injuries are tough to deal with but don’t neglect your mental health. If you focus on moving forward, remaining positive and confident, you should feel that your mental recovery is moving right along.