After a spinal cord injury, there are several things that a person can go through during the healing process. One of the aspects of dealing with a spinal cord injury that some patients might suffer from is depression. While that might seem natural after suffering from a catastrophic injury, it can be devastating to the patient.

On behalf of Joseph Caprara of CBLAW posted in Spinal Cord Injuries on Wednesday, December 23, 2015.

After a spinal cord injury, there are several things that a person can go through during the healing process. One of the aspects of dealing with a spinal cord injury that some patients might suffer from is depression. While that might seem natural after suffering from a catastrophic injury, it can be devastating to the patient.

It is common for people with spinal cord injuries to feel a bit down sometimes; however, if the down feeling persists and becomes a profound factor in the patient’s life for an extended period, it might signal depression. Depression is a major medical condition that requires treatments. If you think a loved one is suffering from depression, let his or her care team know.

There are several other points that you can look for if you are trying to determine if your loved one might have depression. A loss of interest in activities that your loved one once enjoyed is a big clue that depression might be possible. Other signs include an infatuation with death, decreased energy, changes in sleep patterns, and difficulty concentrating.

There are some instances in which a person might need to take medications to help them combat depression. In other instances, mental health therapy might help them to overcome the depression. Often, the mental health care might be incorporated as part of the patient’s overall medical care plan for the injured spinal cord.

Mental health treatments can be financially devastating for a family that is already having to cover the costs of caring for a person with a spinal cord injury.

Source: University of Washington, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, “Depression and Spinal Cord Injury,” accessed Dec. 23, 2015