Almost 8 months out and I honestly don't recognize my life anymore

You are absolutely not alone. I'm about 11 months out from my accident and I still have days where I grieve the person I was before. The invisible injury thing is SO real — I had people in my own family basically imply I should be back to normal by month three. I wasn't. I'm still not fully there. Please don't feel embarrassed about any of this. It's a trauma, full stop.

I just want to say — thank you for posting this. It takes guts to be this honest. The dark days you mentioned, please don't sit with those alone. If you haven't already, talking to a therapist who works with trauma or chronic pain can genuinely help, not because anything is wrong with you, but because what you've been through is a lot.

What you're describing — the constant pain, the mobility changes, the emotional weight — that's not weakness and it's not you being dramatic. Trauma to the body and nervous system doesn't run on a calendar. Eight months can feel like nothing when you're dealing with certain injuries, especially soft tissue or spinal stuff that doesn't always show up clean on imaging. Keep advocating for yourself with your care team. If you feel like they're dismissing you, you're allowed to ask for a second opinion or a referral to a pain specialist.

One thing I'd flag — if you're still treating and still out of work, please be careful about what you're saying to the other side's insurance company right now. They will use 'I'm doing a little better' against you later. Don't minimize yourself to adjusters just to seem polite or reasonable. Document everything.

I used to work in claims and honestly the 'invisible injury' thing is something adjusters are trained to exploit. If you don't look catastrophically injured on paper, there's pressure to close your file fast and low. Make sure every single symptom — sleep issues, mood changes, limitations at home, all of it — is in your medical records. If it's not documented, it's really hard to fight for later.

Not legal advice, but I'll say this: the combination of ongoing lost wages, long-term pain, and documented functional limitations is something an attorney should hear about sooner rather than later. Statutes of limitations are real and they sneak up on people. A free consult costs you nothing and at least you'd know where you stand. You don't have to have everything figured out to make that call.

I know it probably doesn't feel like it right now, but the fact that you're still fighting — still going to appointments, still trying to figure out next steps, still reaching out — that's not nothing. You haven't given up even when it's been brutal. That matters.

Eight months out of work with ongoing pain and you haven't talked to a personal injury attorney yet? Do that this week. Free consult, no commitment. And separately — please talk to someone about the dark days. A crisis line, a therapist, your doctor. You mentioned it almost in passing but it deserves real attention. Both things can be true: your legal situation needs handling AND you need support right now. Don't put either one off.