Sadness is an emotion that should not be ignored. It's normal to have down days, but when those down days start turning into weeks or months, then it's important to do something about it.

Things you can do on down days:

Have a good cry - it's hard holding it in all the time. Some people feel that if they start crying they may never stop... but they do stop... and they feel much better for it afterwards. If you feel like you need to cry or yell or scream - find the right time and place and let it all out! 

Talk to someone - share what you are feeling. Sometimes it can help to get things off your chest. Sometimes when you are trying to deal with a life-changing injury you may need to talk about the same thoughts and feelings over and over again as you start to adjust to the reality of what has happened.  There are always people who can help if you want to talk to someone not involved in your situation. Coping alone is not the way to go and you deserve support.

Get out and pamper yourself - sometimes if you are home alone and feeling down it can be a good idea to force yourself to go out and be around people - even if you just go shopping for clothes or music that you like. Maybe treat yourself to a new hair cut and some pampering - be kind to yourself, you deserve it! It's important to get yourself out of that cloud and back out into sunshine.

Re-evaluate the situation - after you have let it all out and had a good cry, start to think of different ways to evaluate your situation. If you focus your attention on the things you can't do, you won't see all the things you CAN do. Yes, this accident has changed your life, but what can you do to make the most of this change? Although many people may do this on their own in their own time, using the skills of a counsellor or a "life coach" may help you to work out all your thoughts, feelings and plans for the future.

If you have been feeling down for a long time and have lost interest in things you used to enjoy you may need to see your doctor or another health professional who can help. If you are interested in further reading, there are Australian websites such as beyondblue, the Black Dog Institute and Ybblue (for young people) that give information about issues such as depression and anxiety.