In recent years, there has been a shift in focus throughout the community on the importance of the mental health and wellbeing of Australians.
Through campaigns such as R U OK, #InThisTogether and Movember, the public perception of mental health has changed from stigma to discussion. Organisations including Beyond Blue, Lifeline and the Blackdog Institute have been instrumental in driving this shift to ensure the community can better understand mental health and improving the wellbeing of all individuals.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been exceptionally challenging for all of us, with people facing many difficult changes to daily life, such as isolation, unemployment, and an uncertainty. This has led to increased feelings of stress, anxiety, and isolation, highlighting the need to prioritise our mental health now more than ever.
Within the Personal Injury Insurance community, we see the impact of traumatic events either at work or a motor vehicle accident can have on an individual’s mental health.
At Claims Pharmacy, we regularly see psychological injuries such as PTSD, major depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder and adjustment disorder.
Medication can be prescribed to an injured person to assist in the management of their mental health. At Claims Pharmacy, we see 74% of those with a physical injury that have been prescribed either a benzodiazepine, anti-depressant, or anti-psychotic medication. However, medication is not intended for long term use due to potential side effects which include drowsiness, central nervous system depression and addiction.
In some cases medication can negatively impact overall recovery. Some medications can cloud an individual’s ability to actively engage and benefit from treatments, such as therapy and psychological rehabilitation, required to progress to recovery.
The road to recovery shouldn’t be taken alone. With the shift in focus to the importance of mental health and wellness, we at Claims Pharmacy see it as our responsibility to provide guidance to the injured person in their recovery. Our program reduces the chance of drug dependency (minimising secondary injury, preventing addiction and death), helps injured people get back to health sooner, and reduces ongoing insurer costs as well as supporting the healthcare system. Let’s work to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those suffering from psychological conditions.
For more information on our end-to-end medication program, please contact us on 1300 926 220 or [email protected].
Helpful Links/References
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/
The information on this website is not a substitute for medical advice, nor is it to be used for diagnosis and treatment. You, or anyone you are concerned about, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.