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A work accident can affect every aspect of your life, and change your entire outlook. You’ll begin noticing more of these changes as time goes on. One of the most common, and sometimes the most impactful, changes you may notice is feelings of depression after a work accident.
According to a recent study conducted by researchers at the Institute for Work & Health in Toronto, around 50 percent of workers who were injured on the job report symptoms of depression sometime in the first year following an accident, despite never having exhibited symptoms beforehand.
Key Findings About Depression After a Work Accident
Researchers interviewed more than 300 people who were seriously injured in a work accident. They conducted these interviews at various stages, ranging from one month after the accident up to a year later. They discovered a few interesting things, including:
Nearly half reported feeling depressed within a year of the accident, but only 1 in 10 was officially diagnosed.
People that reported no feelings of depression after the first month usually continued that way.
Most people got better as time went on. Only about 1 in 10 reported worsening symptoms.
50 percent of those unable to return to work after a year felt depressed while 20 percent of those who could go back to work still felt depression.
How a person feels at six months is a fairly accurate indication of how they will feel at the one-year mark.
The study authors are adamant that their findings suggest that feelings of depression after a work accident are completely normal, and that most people feel better over time. Getting the right kind of help during this time is the best way to ease feelings of depression, and maybe even rid yourself of those feelings for good. Researchers say that getting help sooner rather than later is best, and the same is true for seeking legal help.
The Ohio workers’ comp attorneys at Larrimer & Larrimer LLC have built a name for themselves by fighting aggressively on behalf of their clients, and working hard to ensure they get everything they need to move forward after a work accident.