Life After Medical Malpractice: Stress & Self-Care

After experiencing Medical Malpractice, rarely is just the body affected. With decades of expertise in serving as Medical Malpractice lawyers in Michigan, at Hoffer & Sheremet, PLC, we have seen how Medical Malpractice can affect lives in a single moment. Whether it’s a missed diagnosis, a medication error, or a treatment gone awry, the impact ripples through every part of life—especially mental health.  

If you feel weighed down or overwhelmed by what happened, know that your response is both normal and valid. You are not feeling “too much” about what happened; it is common for the trauma associated with medical malpractice to have effects on Mental Wellness from day-to-day all the way to life to long-term implications.

The Effects of Medical Malpractice in Mental Health

Medical malpractice can take many forms, and the emotional toll often reflects the severity of the underlying injury. Some of the most devastating situations we see include: 

  • Birth injuries, such as cerebral palsy, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, shoulder dystocia, and harm caused by improper fetal monitoring 

It is important to recognize that medical malpractice does not come with a “standard” effect on wellbeing, and that these effects are not only for those who suffered the incident. Many feel a profound loss of control. Others find relationships changing overnight — perhaps they’re now caring for a child with lifelong needs, or they’re wondering how they’ll work or socialize when anxiety, sleep loss, or depression set in. In cases of death or catastrophic injury, spouses, siblings, or children often carry their own trauma — the “what could have been,” the watchful waiting, the fear of medical settings, the enduring question of “why us?” These emotional currents aren’t secondary or optional, they become central to healing.  

Victims of Medical Malpractice often grapple with a range of mental and emotional challenges: 

  • Immediate Stress Responses: In the aftermath of a Medical Malpractice incident, patients may face disbelief, fear, anger, and hypervigilance. These reactions can disrupt sleep, appetite, and concentration, affecting daily life profoundly.    
  • Lifestyle & Relationship Changes: Psychological distress might lead to challenges in maintaining work, daily routines, and social connections. Through these changes in dynamics, loved ones, too, can suffer secondary stress and heartache from witnessing these struggles.   
  • Anxiety & Depression: Persistent worry about health status, prospects for recovery, or future treatment is common. Feelings of sadness, and emotional withdrawal may set in, at times leading to isolation.
  • PTSD & Trauma: Especially with severe errors, some individuals relive the event with flashbacks, nightmares, and avoidance behaviors. This trauma may go unrecognized but can dramatically reduce the quality of life.  
  • Loss of Trust: Perhaps the most pervasive unseen effect is the erosion of trust in medical professionals and institutions. Some victims avoid medical care out of fear, potentially exacerbating health outcomes.  

Caring for Your Mental Health: Finding Support & Coping

Acknowledging the struggles mentioned above is the first step towards healing. Here are some ways to strategically care for yourself, look after social relationships, and establish networks of support:  

Practicing Self-Compassion: The feelings you experience are valid and natural. These feelings arise from stress and even other reasons (as detailed before). Self-compassion is the act of recognizing one is struggling and therefore offering kindness to oneself. Self-compassion is learnable and known to reduce anxiety and depression. Allow yourself space to recognize and honor what happened.  

Building a Support System: Breathing techniques, journaling, and gentle movement can offer moments of relief. However, building a support system through structured routines, working with a therapist or counselor, and even seeking peer support are vital. These steps will help you find understanding, process complex emotions, rebuild self-confidence, and even find belonging.  

Seeking Legal Counsel: In Michigan, consulting Malpractice Lawyers is crucial for understanding your rights, navigating the Michigan Medical Malpractice process and gaining advocacy. Through Medical Malpractice Attorneys, advocacy empowers victims by validating both their experience and need for support. At Hoffer & Sheremet, PLC, we focus on Medical Malpractice & Birth Injury cases, working with top medical experts to investigate what happened and fight for the compensation you deserve.  

Take the First Step!

Even though we listed and phrased these strategies as “steps”, you will be working on many of them at the same time. We know, and want to highlight, that showing up for oneself is not a step-by-step process.  We hope that this provides a framework for you to help moving forward more manageable.  

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