Burns psychology leaflet for adults who have experienced a burn injury
Date issued: June 2026
Review date: June 2028
Leaflet section: Plastic Surgery
PDF: Burns psychology leaflet for adults who have experienced a burn injury.pdf [pdf] 156KB
Adult Burns Psychology Service
Who is the burns psychology service for?
The Burns Psychology Service at University Hospitals Plymouth is for adults of all ages who have suffered a burn injury and who are experiencing emotional distress and psychological difficulties related to their burn injury.
Please note, our service is not able to provide support for pre-existing mental health difficulties or emotional distress that is unrelated to the burn injury.
Common reactions to a burn injury
People respond to burn injuries in different ways. The size and severity of a burn does not predict how someone will feel. A burn of any size can impact you emotionally. Feelings of distress may appear immediately after the burn injury, or they may come up days, weeks, months or years later.
Common reactions following a burn injury might include:
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Feeling sad, tearful or low
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Changes in how you feel about your body or appearance
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Anxiety, panic or overwhelm
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Thinking about the event when you do not want to
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Physical reactions when reminded of the event
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Trying to avoid reminders of the event
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Anger or irritability
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Poor sleep or nightmares
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Struggling with pain, discomfort or itching
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Feeling disconnected, alone or distant from others
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Numbness, shock or feeling unreal
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Worries about the future
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Struggling to concentrate since the burn
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Social/relationship difficulties
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Struggling with ongoing medical treatments
These are normal reactions after experiencing something frightening or distressing and most people who have a burn injury will experience some of them. For many these reactions are temporary and settle by themselves over time. For others they do not.
If you find these reactions do not settle or you are struggling to function day-to-day, it can be helpful to talk about what you are experiencing with a Clinical Psychologist.
What is a clinical psychologist?
Clinical Psychologists are trained professionals who work in physical health and mental health settings. We support people of all ages to make sense of their experiences by exploring feelings, thoughts and behaviours.
How can I access the burns psychology service?
Please speak to a member of your burns healthcare team who can refer on your behalf. If you do not have any upcoming appointments with the team, please call 01752 432104 or 01752 431518 to speak to the burns admin team and they can support you to self-refer.
What next?
You may be contacted by the psychology team for further information, or you may be added to the waiting list for a first appointment. In the first appointment we will explore how things are for you and think together about the best route forward. Some people find a one-off appointment beneficial in its own right, while others benefit from ongoing support. Appointments will be face to face at Derriford hospital or another hospital site. We can also offer appointments online via a secure platform ‘Attend Anywhere’.
What might the burns clinical psychologist support me with?
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Difficult feelings, such as anxiety, anger, panic and low mood
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Appearance-related concerns
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Upsetting or intrusive memories and flashbacks
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Adjustment and thinking about the future
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Coping with pain and physical symptoms
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Preparing for medical treatment
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Relationships following the burn
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Managing other people’s comments/behaviours
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Other emotions you are experiencing following the burn
Confidentiality
What you say in the appointment will be confidential unless we are concerned about risk and the safety of you or others. We will let staff involved in your care know that we have met you. There may be times we might need to share information to help us provide you with the best service we can, but we will always discuss this with you first.
Useful information and support
We understand that not everyone will feel they need or want to speak to the Clinical Psychologist in the burns service. There are other places you can access support or information now or in the future:
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Changing Faces is the ‘UK’s leading charity for everyone with a scar, mark or condition on their face or body that makes them look different’. They have information and support on their website or you can call 0300 012 0275 from 10am-4pm (weekdays).
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Dan’s Fund for Burns offer information, resources and practical assistance to adults with burn injuries on their website or via tel 07526847699.
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Adult Burn Support UK provide information on support services around emotional wellbeing, rehabilitation and appearance. They host a live online chat through their website every Wednesday from 7.30pm to 9.00pm where you can access peer support in a private forum.
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The Katie Piper Foundation support adult burns survivors and their families through their rehabilitation program and can be contacted online or via telephone 0300 365055.
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Healthtalk have a ‘burn injuries’ section on their website, where you can listen to others who have had a burn injury discussing different topics (e.g. medical treatment, support, daily life and adjustment). healthtalk.org
Support for those experiencing appearance-related anxiety or challenges following a burn:
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Face IT @ home is a free 8-week, self-guided online program for adults who are experiencing appearance-related anxiety or self-consciousness due to a visible difference, such as a scar. You can also join their free monthly online support group to connect with others using the program.
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UWE ACT It Out is a free app for adults who are struggling emotionally due to a visible difference, such as a scar. It offers six sessions aimed to support users to build skills. The app can be downloaded from the App store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android).
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Visible Difference Support Hub offers free, evidence-based support and information for people living with a visible difference, such as a burn scar. For example, the Loving ACTion podcast which includes self-help guidance around appearance and relationships.
If you have urgent concerns about your emotional wellbeing and mental health:
The burns psychology service is not a crisis mental health service and is not able to offer emergency support. If urgent support is needed, please contact your GP or First Response (via NHS 111 and select the mental health option).
Other formats
If you need this leaflet in another format such as Braille, large print, high contrast, British Sign Language or translated into another language, contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS):
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01752 439694
