Depression and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
When facing the challenges of a spinal
cord injury (SCI), you may feel discouraged, sad, or down at times. If these feelings
are
severe, lasting, or cause loss of hope, they may be symptoms of depression. Depression
is a
mood disorder. It's caused by certain chemical changes in the brain. Anyone can have
it,
but it tends to run in families. Depression can be triggered by many factors, including
the
challenges of a physical injury. People with SCI have a higher rate of depression.
If you
think that you might be depressed, know that this problem can be treated. This sheet
tells
you more about how to recognize the symptoms of depression and what can be done to
help
relieve them.
Symptoms of depression
People who are depressed often have 1 or more of these 3 symptoms:
-
Feeling sad, guilty, worthless, or hopeless most of the time
-
Losing interest in hobbies and activities
-
Withdrawing from family and friends
In addition, a depressed person may also:
-
Feel tired all of the time or low in energy
-
Have trouble sleeping or
sleep more than normal
-
Lose interest in eating or eat too much
-
Turn to alcohol or drugs to feel better
-
Think about suicide or death
-
Neglect specific care measures needed after SCI
If you have any of these symptoms, let your healthcare provider know right away. Help
is available.
Treatments for depression
When a person is depressed, they
often feel like nothing will ever make it better. But depression can be successfully
treated. Medicines and talk therapy (counseling) have helped many people. Medicines
act
on the brain chemicals that affect moods and feelings. Counseling involves talking
about
feelings and learning ways to change thought patterns. There are many types of
counseling for depression. Some people meet one-on-one with a therapist. Others prefer
a
group setting. Often, a combination of medicines and counseling is used. A mental
health
professional can help figure out which treatment options might work best for you.
Preventing depression
You can take certain steps to help reduce your risk of depression. Try to stay aware
of your thoughts and moods. Tell your loved ones or members of your healthcare team
early if you think there might be a problem. Ask for a visit by a person who has coped
with SCI for a while and who is trained as a peer counselor. Make an effort to stay
involved with others and in your own life. When you have interests that keep you challenged
and fulfilled, it may be easier to find things to stay positive about. Keeping your
body strong and healthy may help as well. This allows you to remain active, so you
can continue doing things you enjoy and that help you feel good about yourself. If
you need ideas for ways to stay active and healthy, talk to your healthcare team.
Their role is to support you and help you live well.
Help for severe depression
When you’re depressed, you may feel
as though life isn’t worth living. People with an SCI have a higher risk of suicide.
You
may even want to give up. If you’re thinking of harming yourself, call or text
988. You will be connected to trained
crisis counselors at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. An online chat option
is
also available at
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. Lifeline is free and available 24/7.
To learn more
To learn more about depression and other SCI issues, go to: