Jill Coval is the Director of Psychological Services at Shepherd’s Center Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury program. She states that there are two major types of stress for people living with a spinal cord injury: immediate stress and long term stress. Immediate stress occurs when the injury first happens, and long term stress is related to the many changes and challenges resulting from a spinal cord injury.
Jill gives the following advice on how talking to a mental health professional can be helpful to a person with a spinal cord injury:
Transitioning From Rehab Setting to Real World
Having the support of a psychologist/counselor can ease the stress of transitioning from a rehabilitation setting into your regular environment. A mental health professional can help one navigate the feelings of going from an environment where a spinal cord injury is the norm, as opposed to being possibly the only one with a spinal cord injury in your community.
A Chance To Vent
Talking to a mental health professional can give a person with a spinal cord injury a non-bias individual to vent to about life post injury. There is no added stress of worrying about the feelings, reactions, and judgments of family and friends.
Staying Physically Healthy
Anxiety and depression can affect a person’s physical health. By talking to a mental health professional, one can release those negative feelings before they become overwhelming.
Actively Address Issues
The risk of “self medication” (alcohol, prescription pain meds, and illegal drugs) is reduced by talking with a mental health professional. Jill states that it is important for an individual to actively address issues related to grief, loss, and life change.
Learn About Personal Strength
Counseling session can help people realize their own personal strengths and how to effectively use those strengths in the adjustment to everyday life.
Family
Counseling sessions as a family can help your loved ones learn more about how to help during the adjustment period.Those counseling sessions can also assist family members in their own adjustment process as they try to get used to a new life.
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