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Concussion:
The Emotional Impact
There has been a lot of discussion about concussions in the NFL and NHL. We know athletes need to sit out when concussed. We know that multiple concussions can cause serious brain damage. But what about the emotional consequences? And how do these athletes return to play with the risk of re-injury?
Watch Dr. Eddie on FOX-17 to find out and read below:
Concussion is not just a serious physical injury. There are emotional consequences that can increase symptoms and slow your recovery:
- Anxiety: Fear of reinjury. Worry about the future. This stress can increase symptoms of concussion like difficulty concentrating and headaches.
- Frustration: Your daily life is messed up. You miss your sport. You're sick of resting and "doing nothing." These frustrations cause impulses to return too soon, increasing your risk of reinjury.
- Sadness: Depression and negative thinking kill your motivation for rehabilitation. Not following your program exactly as prescribed delays your recovery and makes the problem worse.
- Isolation: Injured athletes often lose contact with teammates and coaches, increasing loneliness at a time when social support is most needed. Research found social support to be a key factor for successful injury rehabilitation.
Adding sport psychology to your treatment team improves your recovery. I teach relaxation skills to reduce the stress on your body, decrease headache pain, and promote healing. Mental toughness skills used in sport are applied to your rehabilitation for you to maximize improvement. And when used for rehabilitation, insurance covers these sport psychology services.
Call 616-233-3480 to have us check your insurance coverage and get you scheduled for an evaluation. |
