Every Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is different and unique to each person. Even though a TBI can lead to physical changes within the brain. The lasting effects of a TBI can derail someone from their life goals and life plans. One of the lasting challenges someone may experience with a TBI is the interplay and connection between their TBI and mental health symptoms.
TBI Impacts on Life
First off, depending on the severity of TBI the lasting impacts on someone’s life may be vastly different. At times, a TBI can be debility. Other times, it can interfere with normal, daily functioning, for example, work performance, attention and concentration, emotion regulation, and memory. The brain takes time to heal. Unfortunately, because of the injury to the brain, some of the brain functioning before the TBI may not return.
Grief and Loss
Two common experiences after a TBI, include grief and loss. The grief and loss process begins to set in as a person comes to grips with their capabilities post-TBI. In some cases, what someone could do before the TBI will be different than what they can do afterward. This change in one’s ability, functioning, and overall independence can lead to grief and loss as well.
Another area of TBI recovery where grief and loss show up is someone’s change in identity. As someone begins to understand how a TBI impacts their life, that individual begins to acknowledge changes in how life is lived, their values, and sometimes, their priorities. As these aspects of a person’s life shift, grief and loss may accompany this process.
Depression
Subsequently, after a TBI intense periods of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest to do activities or hobbies may arise. Sadness may set in as someone begins to grapple with the changes the TBI has caused in their lives. Furthermore, the TBI recovery process takes time. As this process slows and more permanent limitations don’t resolve, hopelessness and loss of interest to do once enjoyable things may set in. Patience is key in the TBI recovery process.
Anger
One challenging emotion that seems to follow most TBIs is anger. This is a painful emotion to experience as the anger can be directed both inward and outward toward your support network and caregivers. The double bind here is that it can push those who care away while also diminishing one’s self-worth and esteem.
TBI Trauma
Most TBIs include some level of unpredictability. Some TBIs will involve sports or falls, while others will occur from auto accidents, work incidents, physical alterations, infections, or combat exposure. Deep down, sustaining a TBI may create a trauma response or even rise to the level of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Individual TBI Therapist Near Milwaukee
One area Revitalize Mental Health PLLC specializes in is TBI and mental health. Daniel Gospodarek has lived experience with a TBI and the TBI recovery process. If you or someone you know is in the TBI recovery process or knows of someone impacted by someone else’s TBI, reach out. Give us a call at 720.295.6703 or submit an online form here. From there, we’ll schedule a free consultation call to ensure we’re a good fit to work together. If we both decide we are, then we’ll schedule our first appointment.
