Magazine Feature

A recent study revealed the full extent of psychological problems among people who have spent years recovering from serious burns; about half of those surveyed showed signs of clinical depression, with women being most vulnerable.

According to Leora Bowden, a clinical social worker who works with burn patients at the University of Michigan, there are effective ways to help burn victims who feel ostracized.

“With the help of treatments like cognitive therapy, patients can improve their ability to function and their ability to feel better about themselves, both of which are equally important,” Bowden said.

According to John Findley, a psychiatrist for the burn and trauma unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, “It isn’t possible to change society’s reaction to disfigured people but we can get (patients) to look at themselves differently, look beyond the skin and see the healthy person that was there before the thermal injury.”

Titscher, Lumenta, Kamolz, Mittlboeck, & Burns maintain that the appearance of skin is crucial for our physical and psychological integrity, and is strongly associated with our emotional self-awareness.

Burn victims have to cope with negative and even threatening sensations resulting from the changed appearance of their skin after injury and also linked to experiences during the treatment.

The aim of their study was to “analyze differences regarding the emotional associations with skin in burn victims (burn group) to persons not having subdued any burn (control group).

Their poll suggested that despite long treatment, rehabilitation and even near-death experiences burn patients continue to have positive associations with skin.

This in turn, should encourage all specialists dealing with burns to engage in a continuous follow-up as well as enhance psychological and social support.

There are several agencies in the Sacramento area that do assist burn victims with rehabilitation upon discharge from the hospital.

UC Davis Regional Burn Center in Davis admits patients for life-saving procedures, intricate wound assessment and management, as well as rehabilitation and psychosocial support and counseling.

Firefighters Kids Camp in Sacramento provides children who have had serious burn injuries the opportunity to continue their rehabilitation and recovery process in an outdoor environment where they can have fun and feel safe.

Activities include rafting, swimming, boating, hiking, fishing, biking, rock climbing, astronomy, arts and crafts, campfire songs, and games.

There are also numerous counseling services available such as Cross Creek Family Counseling in Citrus Heights which provides counseling to individuals, children, couples, and families; specializing in recovery from abuse, trauma and crime.

Therapists use a variety of approaches to assist clients in reaching their goals including cognitive therapy, psychodynamic and object relations theories, family systems, communication, hypnosis, art, and group sessions.

The burn injury lawyer at Shepard & Haven in Sacramento can help burn victims by providing high quality legal counsel if they have suffered severe burns because of the negligence of another person or a company.

Compensation serious burn injuries can cover the cost of aesthetic reconstructive surgery, medical bills for recovery, rehabilitation, pain and suffering, and emotional trauma. They also help secure loss-of-livelihood compensation and appropriate disability benefits.

Such services help to give burn victims a new outlook on life that doesn’t involve numerous hospital visits or doctors. It is a way for their souls to heal from the trauma they endured.