Accidents and injuries often happen unexpectedly and can cause a significant amount of stress and trauma for individuals and their families. When a family member is involved in an accident or experiences an injury, it can create a ripple effect of stress and anxiety that affects the entire family unit.
There are a number of different types of stress that are often associated with an accident including PTSD. There are also many mental health ramifications such as anxiety, depression, and trauma that can contribute to overall stress for the individual and those closest to them.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
PTSD is commonly associated with an accident or injury. It is a mental health disorder that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event and can have a huge impact on the lives of those suffering from the disorder. According to the NHS, symptoms of PTSD can include flashbacks, nightmares, repetitive and distressing images or sensations, and physical sensations such as pain, sweating, feeling sick or trembling.
The effects of PTSD can be particularly challenging for families. Often, the family members who are not directly involved in the accident may experience feelings of helplessness when it comes to supporting their loved one. They may also experience their own feelings of anxiety and stress, particularly if the injured family member is unable to work or join in on family activities in the same ways they did prior to their accident.
The impact an accident or injury can have on the family
Life-altering changes are never easy for us to deal with, and when someone closest to us suffers a serious injury, it can be difficult to deal with emotionally.
Following the initial shock of an accident, the stress of caring for an injured family member can put significant strain on the family unit. Making the shift from husband or wife to carer can be very tough to navigate and can take a great deal of time and support to come to terms with.
Brain injury charity Headway comments, “for some people, the emotional, behavioural, physical and cognitive changes after brain injury can have an impact on existing and future relationships. There are a number of ways in which this can happen and a number of different outcomes. Some relationships may strengthen, whereas others may become strained over time or even completely break down.” The charity, who suggest that somewhere between 20% and 40% of marriages end in divorce following severe brain injury, also discusses the impact it can have on children.
How children may respond to a parent following an injury
“Many parents report that not only are they different after their injury, but find that their children relate to them differently too,” explains Headway, who go on to say, “some children may feel apprehensive about seeing a parent whose injury is very serious or if the parent has been away from home (in hospital or rehabilitation) for a long time. They may find it difficult to readjust to life again, and may be distant when the parent first returns home, especially if the parent is experiencing cognitive, emotional or behavioural effects from their injury.”
The reaction from children can also be similar if a parent looks physically different as a result of their injury, for example, an amputation, severe scarring, or having to rely on a wheelchair.
Family therapy can be crucial to moving forward
Therapy is often a vital part of recovery following a significant injury and as well as one-to-one sessions with a mental health professional, family therapy where each family member can discuss issues that are affecting the family unit as a whole can be hugely beneficial. Talking openly about the things that are scary, overwhelming, stressful, or difficult in the presence of an impartial professional who can offer tools to help can go a long way in aiding recovery for the individual, and those around them.
As part of a TGA assessment, family therapy is often recommended as a vital step in overall recovery. We provide assessments as part of our care, aids, and equipment reports, our loss of service reports, and our immediate needs assessments in order to establish obstacles and difficulties a claimant is experiencing and the impact of the claimant’s injury on daily life. For more information on any of the services we provide, please get in touch with our team today.
