Anxiety can arise slowly over time or abruptly in someone’s life at any point in time given external circumstances. Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) on the other hand are more unpredictable but can influence mental health symptoms later in a person’s life. PubMed Central’s on ‘depression and anxiety in patients with a history of traumatic brain injury’ highlights the association between anxiety and traumatic brain injuries. This blog post will further explore the interconnection between anxiety and traumatic brain injury.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural response our body has developed throughout evolution. That being said, sometimes anxiety can become unregulated and impede many aspects of one’s life. Anxiety can prevent punctuality at work, keep you from dating, or contribute to insomnia as the racing thoughts do not stop.
What is a TBI?
TBIs can occur either from an external force or an internal infection, medical complication(s), or lack of oxygen to the brain. TBI treatment can look different for every person with some people needing the brain to heal on its own to doctors needing to surgically stop brain bleeds. Furthermore, how a TBI affects mental health symptoms during the recovery process can vary as well.
Interconnections Between Anxiety and TBI
Anxiety may follow a highly stressful event or come from past traumatic experiences. A TBI can heighten one’s nervous system state, which will directly correlate to one’s anxiety level. Additionally, after a TBI, many challenges and unknowns persist throughout the recovery process. This itself can lead to a state of worry and anxiety. There is such a loss of control after a TBI that the unpredictability of the future can become a stressor itself.
3 Ways to Regulate Anxiety After a TBI
People will learn how to regulate their anxiety differently. Here are three common ways to regulate anxiety in your life. However, you’ll need to find what works best for you.
- Find those things and activities that soothe your body – this could be working out, swimming, hot showers, cooking and smelling the aroma, or art.
- Create routines – by having routines, we consciously and unconsciously know what to expect in life. This can help to regulate the nervous system with predictability.
- Nature – spending time in nature, accessing its beauty, or being around peaceful wildlife can help to regulate the nervous system as well.
Healing Anxiety and TBIs with Individual Therapy in Milwaukee, WI
Find the best therapist near you to start healing from anxiety and TBIs. Mental health is a key pillar of the TBI recovery process. I work with men who experience anxiety and TBIs in their lives so that they can unlock the lives they desire. Let’s break free from the anxiety and struggle of TBIs. We offer in-person therapy sessions for those living in the Southern Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha areas. Additionally, we provide online therapy for those living throughout both Wisconsin and Colorado. You can submit an online form by following this link or call us at 720.295.6703 to schedule a free 15-minute consultation call to ensure we’re a good fit to work together. From there, if we both agree to work together, we’ll schedule our first appointment.
