Facial Trauma and Mental Health

Hey friends.

So it's no surprise to anyone that I'm seeing a counselor through our work family assistance program. Mostly because I talk about it all the time.  As I've said before, this is uncomfortable for me, but is important to my beliefs because I think it's important that we remove the stigma from discussing mental health.  Nobody should be ashamed to admit that they need help sometimes, and in many cases it can either save a life, or save the quality of your life, and isn't that almost the very same thing?  [Stepping down from my soapbox now.]

I was recently inspired to do some research on mental health after facial trauma, and I was surprised to learn some interesting facts.

First, people who acquire a facial change after trauma are actually more likely to suffer from psychological issues than people who are born with congenital differences or people who acquire the facial changes due to treatment of a disease.  I think this may actually mean the symptoms are different, or they happen rapidly over a shorter period of time than those born with congenital differences.  It only makes sense that after a trauma you'd feel everything more or less 'all at once', while if you were born that way you'd go through these feelings staged over time as you mature. Second, it doesn't matter how severe the actual change or deformity is; what matters is how severe the person perceives it to be. 

This is not to diminish either those with congenital differences, nor those with severe trauma...but to give credence to those with minor changes that feel they are psychologically affected just as deeply, or more deeply than they feel they should be allowed to.

The main predictor for how severely you will be affected psychologically is how much value you placed on your appearance prior to the trauma occurring. Interestingly, this can also cause issues with body image and body dysmorphia.  I know personally that this is affecting me - I lost a significant amount of weight after my accident due to both pain and being wired/banded shut, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to try and maintain that weight...even though it was miserable not being able to eat properly that whole time and I was starving.  Whatever my desire to be thin, I have NEVER been one to willingly go hungry.  It's just not something I do, or am capable of. (And this may be my saving grace).  I make better food choices, but I never starve. (Although denying cravings is sometimes just as miserable!!!)

I'm working on putting together a more detailed summary of my research into this topic, as well as the signs that you need to seek professional counseling yourself, and ways that you can help yourself to cope.  If you are affected by this, and would like to see something like that, would you please comment?  I'd like to know if putting effort into this would be beneficial to anyone who is reading. 

Thanks!