Potential Impact of a Workplace Accident: Am I Depressed?

When discussing injuries that workplace accident victims suffer, people tend to focus on physical injuries like broken bones and lacerations. These injuries can certainly have a significant effect on a victim's life and require medical intervention to heal. But what many people do not realize is how seriously a mental disorder following an accident, such as depression or the development of a phobia, can affect a workplace accident victim.

A big part of this lack of recognition may stem from the stigma that often surrounds mental illnesses, and may be fueled by many individuals' failure to understand their symptoms. In fact, it is not unheard of for a depressed individual to be unaware that he or she is suffering from depression. Depression can manifest in a variety of ways and affects men and women differently. It is also not uncommon for an individual who is injured physically to develop depression in response to the injury.

Depression is more than just sadness and feeling listless. Its symptoms can be divided into four categories: cognitive, physical, emotional, and behavioral. Physical symptoms of depression may include:

• Sleeping too much or too little;
• Loss of appetite;
• Excessive hunger;
• Back pain;
• Gastrointestinal issues;
• Joint pain; and
• Restlessness.

The emotional symptoms of depression can include the following:

• Hopelessness;
• Irritability;
• Aggression;
• Sadness; and
• Nervousness.

On a cognitive level, depression can manifest in the following ways:

• Memory loss;
• Indecisiveness;
• Easily becoming distracted; and
• Forgetfulness.

Some of the behaviors that a depressed individual might engage in include:

• Reckless behavior;
• Loss of interest in hobbies and relationships;
• Self-loathing;
• Self harm;
• Negative thoughts and words; and
• Self-medication with alcohol or other drugs.

Be an advocate for your friends, family, and colleagues. If you notice one or more of the symptoms listed above in an individual close to you, express your concern for him or her. Simply reaching out might provoke him or her into acknowledging his or her depression and seeking treatment.

Depression is very treatable, but there is no one-size-fits-all treatment. Some patients need to try a few treatment methods before they find the right one. Treatment might include talk therapy, medication, or a combination of the two. As with other mental and physical illnesses, recovering from depression is much easier if the patient has a supportive social network, eats a nutritionally balanced diet, and exercises regularly.

Depression is a valid medical condition, and, if yours is the result of a workplace accident, you can receive monetary compensation to cover your needed treatment to overcome it. To learn more, contact our team of San Jose workplace accident attorneys at Corsiglia, McMahon, & Allard, L.L.P. Our firm proudly serves clients throughout the Bay Area, San Mateo County, Alameda County, San Benito County, Monterey County, and Santa Clara County.

• Can physical injury cause depression?
• Depression Symptoms and Warning Signs
• Depression Treatment