Living with Traumatic Brain Injury

According to the Centers for Disease Control, as many as 3.2 million Americans are living with a permanent disability resulting from a brain injury. They report that 1.7 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year. Fifty-two thousand people die from it. Almost a quarter-million people are hospitalized. 

TBI can affect the foundations of who we are — our capacity to communicate and to think. For approximately 85 percent of people with TBI, these are problems that will slowly go away. The remaining 15 percent of people with TBI have lifelong difficulties.  TBI can mean months or even a lifetime of rehabilitation and acquiring new coping skills.

TBI can be an overwhelming and confusing experience, one that has a tendency to bring psychological distress. It is common for anger, anxiety and depression to develop as a result of TBI, and it’s important that anyone experiencing these feelings seek out support and qualified care.

Damage to the part of the brain that controls behavior and emotions can change the way people both feel and express their emotions. Sometimes, this can result in mood swings or difficulty controlling emotional responses. According to research, around 70 percent of people with TBI experience irritability. Yelling, swearing and physical violence are all common behaviors.

These sudden emotional responses aren’t necessarily triggered by a particular event and emotion expression may not match the situation. This is something that generally resolves after the first few month of injury, but can be a real challenge for those in the caretaker role.

It is important that anyone experiencing these symptoms seek advice from physicians or psychologist familiar with the emotion problems caused by brain injury to find out the cause and get help with treatment. Doctors may recommend pharmaceutical mood stabilizers.

It’s also important for caretakers and loved ones to seek counseling and help with how to best handle these scenarios. It’s important that caretakers avoid reacting emotionally in these situations. Helping the person with TBI to regain control, acknowledging their feelings and helping talk through the experience can be helpful- but can be very challenging and it’s important that caretakers are also taking care of themselves.

Another common psychological response after TBI is anxiety. Experiencing TBI is by definition, a traumatic event, plus the injuries can impact a person’s abilities to handle that trauma. Difficulty with concentration and reasoning can easily make it hard to problem solve and a person with TBI is often dealing with many different demands. It’s not always possible to remove all of the stressors, but reducing unnecessary demands and ensuring there is a regular routine with structured activities can be helpful. Anxiety can also be helped by medications or psychotherapy if deemed appropriate by a professional.

Depression, frustration and feelings of sadness are normal responses to all of the trauma surrounding a brain injury. Often, these are feelings that show up in the later stages of recovery, once the urgent things have been dealt with and the long-term situation becomes apparent. Like these other psychological affects, signs of depression can also be symptoms of the brain injury itself. If they don’t show up immediately, but rather, in the later stages- it’s more likely to mean depression. It’s important to see a professional when you are experiencing signs of depression.

All of these symptoms are common to the TBI experience. Seeking help is important for recovery, from both professionals and loved ones. Another key support system can be peer support. As mentioned, TBI is a fairly common human experience and both peer support groups and peer mentoring likely exist in your area.  Go to http://www.biusa.org to find brain injury resources close to you.

Works Cited

Angelle M. Sander, P. (2002). Picking up the Pieces after TBI: A Guide for Family Members. Baylor College of Medicine. Baylor College of Medicine.

Larry Maucieri, P. (2012). Traumatic Brain Injury: What Counselors Need to Know. THE WISCONSIN COUNSELING JOURNAL(Fall), 46-60.

Simon Fleminger, M. (2010, March 9). Neuropsychiatric Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury   . Neuropsychiatry, Addiction, Amnesia, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Psychotic Affective Disorders, Schizophrenia.

Swanson, K. (1999). I'll Carry the Fork: Recovering a Life After Brain Injury. California: Rising Star Press.

Tessa Hart, P. a. (n.d.). Emotional Problems After Traumatic Brain Injury. Retrieved October 2016, from MSKTC: http://www.abinetwork.ca/familyresourceguide/whatisbraininjury-behavioural.htm