26 Apr, 2019/ by National Accident Helpline /Latest News
- More than 1,000 people were asked how their accident had affected them
- Nearly three quarters struggled with mental health issues
- Accidents led to relationship problems (47%) and made people worry about losing their jobs (57%)
- Television GP Dr Hilary Jones is helping to raise awareness, telling people: "It's OK to ask for help."
An accident can change a person's life - leaving them with pain and mental health concerns, as well as taking a toll on their relationships, family and work life, a new study has shown.
More than 1,000 people who were injured an accident that wasn't their fault, were questioned on the aftermath of their accident for the study which we commissioned.
72% struggled with a mental health issue
Almost three quarters (72%) of those questioned said they had experienced a mental health issue following their accident - a third said they had been stressed, one in five struggled to sleep, and a third suffered anxiety.
Other mental health issues which people experienced included suffering from depression (18%), having nightmares (13%), panic attacks (13%), and experiencing PTSD (7%).
See more of our Make It Right campaign:
Putting a strain on relationships
More than a third (38%) said their accident had put strain on their relationships with their partners, children, family or friends, and almost half of those with a partner or spouse said it had caused problems between them.
More than half of parents questioned said they had been unable to look after their own children because of what had happened to them.
A negative impact on working life
Almost half (47%) said the accident had a negative effect on their work, with the main concerns being anxiety and stress around returning to the workplace.
Of those who said their accident had negatively impacted on their work, nearly a third (32%) said it led to a breakdown in their relationship with their manager, while 22% said it damaged their relationship with their colleagues.
Dr Hilary Jones
We are working with television GP Dr Hilary Jones to raise awareness of the true impact an accidental injury can have.
Dr Hilary said:
I've seen people in my surgery who have been injured through no fault of their own and are trying to be stoic - they often don't want to face the fact that they are struggling, be it physically or mentally.
But this research shows what GPs like me know - that it is completely normal for the impact of a person's accident to show itself in more than just a physical injury, and that it's OK to ask for help.
See more from Dr Hilary Jones here:
Tom Fitzgerald, Managing Director of National Accident Helpline, said:
After an accident, we rush to treat the physical injury - but in the days and months which follow, its impact can be felt far beyond the physical pain.
We understand the effect this can have on a person's body and mind, as well as their loved ones, and we wanted to show people struggling after an accident that they are not alone in what they are going through - and that it is OK to seek financial help by making a claim.
Hayley Dunbar, 39, experienced struggles with depression when she was unable to work after her accident. Hayley, who lives in north London, was working as a chef when she fell from a ladder placed on a wet floor.
She said:
The more I got behind with paying the bills, the more I was stressed. At times I felt on the verge of the edge, and I went through a period of depression.
My partner was really concerned about me. It was like living with somebody else who he didn't know.
See more of the Make It Right campaign.