Prioritising Your Mental Health After Serious Injury

When we experience a serious injury, our first thoughts are always about physical recovery. We focus on rest, recuperation, physiotherapy, the lightening of bruises and the softening of scars. But what we so often forget at this time, is the impact that injuries can have on our mental health. At best, they dent our confidence. At worst, they can lead to anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). So, looking after your mental health is just as important as the other aspects of physical recovery. The difficulty can be knowing how to do that.

Nine Ways to Support Mental Recovery After a Serious Injury

Understand the process

One of the most difficult things about injury recovery is that it’s often not quick. By asking questions and doing some light research, you can help to shape realistic expectations of the recovery process. This allows you to plan, and helps to avoid disappointment and frustration when things aren’t going as quickly as you might wish. Just don’t delve into the details too much, as the last thing you want is to be overburdened.  

Set realistic goals

Once you know what to expect during recovery, you can start setting yourself some simple goals. Even small achievements can help you to gain a sense of accomplishment. So, concentrate on some feasible goals. And celebrate them when you achieve them.

Talk

Bottling things up is never healthy. And it never makes things better. If you’re worried, anxious, frustrated, or beginning to feel depressed, talking can help. Talk to friends and family. Talk to your doctors, nurses, or physiotherapist. Your loved ones will listen, the professionals can make suggestions that may help. Both are equally valuable.

Involve your friends and family

Friends and family can be invaluable after an injury. They’ll not just listen, they’ll care. And they’ll support you with the difficult physical stuff too – grocery shopping, cooking, lifts to appointments, and housework. You don’t have to do this alone. And that’s really important to remember.

Seek professional help

There’s no shame in asking for help if you’re struggling. If your mental health is concerning you post-injury, seeking professional mental health support can be really beneficial. Whether it’s through the provision of coping strategies. Or helping you to better understand your emotions.

Look after yourself

Injuries can be all-consuming. Your focus trained entirely on the injury and how you can recover from it. And that often means that you forget the rest of your needs. The irony is that if you look after yourself more generally – eat well, take time to relax, do some light exercise – it will usually aid your recovery.

Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness can be a vital part of self-care, helping to reduce stress, improve your mood, and keep worries in perspective. Depending on your injury, something like yoga might help. But meditation and breathing exercises can be equally useful.

Create a routine

Recovery time can often be characterised by an absence of normality. You don’t do most of the things that typically frame your day. And that can leave you feeling lost and without purpose. Building a routine around your current circumstances can add structure to your days when you need it most.

Give yourself time and be kind

It’s easy to be self-critical when you’re working through any kind of recovery. But by pushing yourself and judging yourself, you’re most likely making things worse. Give your body and mind time to make the recovery they need.

Mental health is frequently the last consideration for physical injury sufferers. But when you look after your emotional wellbeing, it becomes so much easier to deal with physical problems. So, if you’re struggling through injury recovery right now, take a few minutes to take stock of your mental health.

Are you looking for a physiotherapist in London to support you through injury recovery? Get in touch with Ultra Sports Clinic.