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Traumatic brain injuries often lead to depression

After suffering from a traumatic brain injury in an accident, a large number of victims develop depression.

When California accident victims suffer from a traumatic brain injury, the consequences they experience often depend on the location, severity and cause of the trauma, states the Brain Injury Association of America. Although the effects of a TBI are highly unpredictable, many brain injury victims suffer from depression.

The prevalence of depression

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, one out of every 10 people who have not suffered from a TBI will have depression. Comparatively, out of every 10 people with a brain injury, three of them will suffer from this mental illness.

Currently, researchers are unable to determine why so many TBI victims suffer from depression after an accident occurs. Additionally, researchers do not know how soon after an accident TBI victims may start to develop this mental illness. While some TBI victims exhibit the symptoms of depression shortly after the accident occurs, others do not become depressed for a year or more after the initial trauma.

Warning signs

There are many different signs that can indicate that a TBI victim could be suffering from depression. For instance, the U.S. DHHS states that a person with a brain injury may be depressed if he or she:

Experiences feeling of sadness, hopelessness and despair throughout the majority of his or her day
Becomes increasingly dependent on drugs, alcohol and other controlled substances
Starts to eat more or less than he or she did before the accident
Finds that his or her sleeping habits change
Does not want to participate in previously enjoyed activities, like spending time with family members or friends
In some situations, TBI victims may have a hard time recognizing these signs and determining if they are depressed. For this reason, brain injury sufferers should consider asking their close friends and family members if they have noticed any of these symptoms.

Treatment options

There are two main treatment options available to TBI victims suffering from depression, which include antidepressants and psychotherapy. Right now, it is not known how these forms of treatment directly impact TBI victims. However, both of these treatment options have had a positive effect on people with depression in general.

After an accident occurs, TBI victims with depression in California may have a hard time performing their normal daily activities due to the effects of this mental illness and their other injuries. If you were injured in an accident and sustained a brain injury, speak with an attorney to find out what compensation may be available to you.

Keywords: TBI, brain, injury, accident