Often, substance abuse develops to help cope with painful feelings. If depression is severe, thoughts of suicide often occur. No one is exactly sure, but a combination of life stress and physical changes in the brain seem most likely. Some depression is inherited, but only in a small percentage of cases. People with SCI can become discouraged and depressed as they age if they lose the ability to perform valued activities or if they find it hard to cope with these changes.
Depression is a health condition.
Depression is not related to the level of injury. Persons with both paraplegia and quadraplegia develop depression in nearly equal numbers. No, depression is not normal, even in the face of a spinal cord injury. Becoming discouraged, grief-stricken or sad is normal but depression represents a condition that goes beyond these normal reactions and indicates that the person has a new health problem. Fortunately, most depression is readily treated.