If you work on an oil rig or in a warehouse, you likely put on personal protective gear to keep yourself safe. Wearing a safety-rated hard hat is often an effective way to avoid a traumatic brain injury. Still, even if you do nothing wrong, you may sustain a head injury while performing your job duties.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a TBI occurs when there is a disruption in brain functionality. TBIs may come from a sudden blow to the head, a penetrative injury or rapid movement of the cranium. While you may be able to receive compensation for your work-related injury, you must also realize that a TBI may cause life-altering depression.
The link between TBIs and depression
There has been a substantial amount of clinical and scientific research about the link between TBIs and depression. The findings are unambiguous. When individuals suffer a TBI, they often have an increased risk of developing depression. In fact, the Mayo Clinic notes that for individuals with a TBI, the chances of developing clinical depression may be as much as five times higher than the at-large population. This is true whether the injured person has a history of depression or mental illness.
A slow recovery process
TBIs range from minor to severe. If you sustain even a moderate injury to your brain, you are apt to face extensive rehabilitation. Naturally, if you have associated depression, you may have difficulty maneuvering through the recovery process. Even worse, if your TBI happened during a disturbing event, you may have to deal with other conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, that may further slow your recovery.
Undoubtedly, work-related TBIs can be serious without any complications at all. If you develop depression following a brain injury, though, you may have an even longer road to recovery. By understanding the critical link between TBIs and depression, you can better plan for recovering completely from your on-the-job TBI.