Accident victims who incur traumatic brain injuries often describe psychological harm in addition to their physical injuries. This should not come as a surprise given that concussions can have a profound impact on various aspects of a victim’s daily life, impacting balance, sleeping, vision, headaches, discomfort, and clear thinking.
“I’m a different person.”
Victims often state that they feel like a different person after incurring a traumatic brain injury. Some individuals fear that they will never return to who they were before the injury.
Early Mental Health Intervention: Counseling for TBI Victims
Counseling support can often be helpful for people with head injuries. Research studies have shown that depression is a routine symptom of mild traumatic brain injuries and that it should be adequately treated before the condition becomes disabling.
One 10-year examination of workers’ compensation claims that were published in a journal of occupational and environmental medicine offered evidence that prompt mental health care improves the outcome for accident victims suffering from mild traumatic brain injuries.
Why Providers are Hesitant to Make Referrals
Medical professionals are frequently hesitant to make referrals for psychological care early in a patient’s recovery. They are trying to avoid the “over-medicalization” of those factors related to psychology. According to the research study mentioned, early referrals are more likely to happen when psychological distress is acute and severe. Doctors anticipated that these patients have more long-lasting psychological problems and increased difficulty in returning to work.
The patients who received early had lower health care costs and shorter periods of disability. One lesson researchers learned from this study is that workers’ compensation insurers benefit from authorizing early mental health treatment after a mild traumatic brain injury because it commonly results in lower costs.
The wider message of this study is that early mental health intervention should be viewed by all providers where there is any suggestion that a mild traumatic brain injury’s symptoms are lasting beyond the immediate or acute stage.
What to Do if You Have a Traumatic Brain Injury
If you have a concussion / traumatic brain injury, there are some helpful things that you should do in the immediate aftermath of an accident. Some of the helpful steps that you should take include the following:
- Promptly seek medical attention. Whether you are transported to a medical facility by ambulance or your own vehicle, prompt diagnosis is critical for treating any type of brain injury. Medical professionals will perform various tests and diagnostic imaging. Brain injuries can vary in severity from “mild” (a misnomer) conditions to life-threatening conditions. Some serious medical issues including brain swelling might not be immediately apparent at the scene of an accident.
- Follow your medical provider’s orders. After you receive care for a brain injury from a medical provider, your medical provider will advise you about how to proceed with handling your recovery. If you incurred a concussion, the medical provider might advise you to rest and remain alert to your symptoms. For moderate or severe brain injuries, you might be prescribed medications to lower swelling and avoid seizures. Surgery is sometimes necessary to reduce pressure inside the skull and to tackle worries about bleeding.
Early Mental Health Intervention: Contact an Experienced Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney
Traumatic brain injuries can change the lives of victims in a split second. If you or a loved one has endured a traumatic brain injury, you should speak with an experienced attorney. Contact House Law LLC today to schedule a free case evaluation.
Tags: brain injury, personal injury, traumatic brain injury
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