Any sort of personal injury, whether caused by a trucking accident, boating accident, or some other incident, can have a wide-ranging impact on a person’s life. While serious or permanent injuries such as brain injuries and spinal cord injuries obviously take patients on a financial, physical, and emotional roller coaster ride, all personal injuries can affect a patient’s finances, relationships, career, and more. Emotional results of personal injury are not often discussed, but people who have survived a personal injury may experience:

1) Depression and grief. A person who has sustained an injury which is disfiguring or which impedes mobility or normal tasks may feel depressed or saddened by the changes. Even someone who can recover fully may feel depressed by a long period of inactivity or recovery time. A patient may grieve over the lifestyle or activities which are now out of reach.

2) Anger. A person who has sustained a serious injury may feel angry about the changes that have occurred in their life. They may lash out at people who they feel are responsible for the accident or may be angry at themselves for being injured. Someone who has sustained a serious injury may feel frustrated and then angry at the activities which are now no longer possible.

3) Anxiety. Many patients feel anxious about further injuries or may feel uneasy about recovery times or possible complications. Many patients are newly aware of their fragility and worry about accidents and injuries.

4) Withdrawal. Many patients withdraw from family and friends after a serious injury. Some burn injury patients, for example, have a hard time resuming regular activities because they worry about people staring at their scarring. Other patients may resent the attempts of loved ones to cheer them up or may lash out at loved ones who can still do regular activities. Some patients have a hard time picturing normal life with their injury and choose to withdraw, spending days or even weeks alone.

5) Antisocial behavior. In addition to withdrawal, some patients lash out at others, start arguments, or even act violently. Some have a hard time expressing grief while other patients are concerned about not being given “sympathy” or “special treatment.” Some patients do not think that they relationships will survive their injury and reject people before they can be rejected.