What Is A Brain Injury?

The statistics are heartbreaking. Every 23 seconds, one person in the United States sustains a traumatic brain injury; and 1.4 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury each year. The symptoms of brain injury are many but every brain injury is different.

Some of the symptoms are: short-term memory loss; fatigue; insomnia; apathy; social withdrawal; irritability; frustration and anger; slowed thinking; inability to carry out routine tasks; inability to learn new facts; disorganization; diminished attention span; poor concentration when there is two or more stimuli; impaired judgment; depression; anxiety; lack of motivation; perseveration; lack of empathy; rigidity of thinking; and headaches.

Every brain injury survivor has a story to tell and many have learned ways to adapt and adjust to their deficits. Some may never learn. Those who are attempting to deal with their problems discover how difficult it is to concentrate on the process of thinking. They have to learn to maintain attention and stay focused. They often have difficulty in comprehending information as it is presented and in integrating any related information. Many will also have difficulty in following the plot of a story.

Most brain injury survivors will have problems with extreme fatigue and will require what appears to be an excessive amount of sleep. This will be critical in order to have improved cognitive functioning. They often have difficulty in interacting emotionally with other people; they will also usually have difficulty putting names to faces. In general it is agreed that it is important to attempt to learn compensatory strategies. It is all about achieving a new normal as it is unlikely they will ever go back to who they once were.

With brain injury recovery, there are no miracles. It is step-by-step gradual improvements with some occasional blacksliding. A great deal will depend upon the attitude, courage, determination, patience, strength and the willingness of the survivor to accept new possibilities, potentials, goals and expectations. They must also be aware of their limitations. It will help if they have a strong desire to achieve a specific goal, i.e.: perhaps to play golf again. However, it is unlikely that any of this will be possible if the survivor has not as yet accepted what he has lost and come to terms with it.

Because brain injury is considered a 'hidden' disability, it is interesting that often only the person who is closest to the brain injury survivor will be aware of the full extent of the disability.