The real trauma after a brain injury

What really happens after you go home with your child who's been severely injured at the brain? How does it affect relationships and how can anyone help?

Traumatic brain injuries can be one of the most dramatic events in the life of the individual. Not only affects the injured, it also affects relationships closest to him or her as well.

As a result, people who have suffered TBIs, experience some unexpected changes in behavior, cognitive, social and learning activities among other internal physical and emotional problems.  Although each individual is different, TBI’s effects can be devastating for people affected by it.

TBIs the individual’s peers as well, however, the greatest effect are on the individual itself. Once the person is aware of his or her injuries, the realization of their current situation begins to manifest in their emotions and the mind.

The individual goes through a number of phases immediately after the injury. The first phase the patient goes through is the un-conscious phase. In this phase, the patient may have fallen into comatose, is coma-induced, or simply not awake and aware of his or her surroundings or condition. This is the most critical phase where the chances for survival are minimal and questionable. The patient may be connected to supportive equipment to help with breathing and to monitor heart and brain activity. Is in this phase where the patient is at risk for developing seizures or bacterial infections.  

The second phase the patient goes through is the stable phase. This is the phase where the patient is not in critical or serious condition, but it’s not out of the woods yet. However, much hope and optimism is developed among physicians and family members who are simply expecting the patient’s condition to improve. The patient may still be unconscious during this phase or perhaps his brain might be awakening and coming back to reality, depending on the degree of the injury. This stage could be confusing not only to the patient but for the family as well.

Once the patient is responsive and awake, doctors and family members continue to monitor the patient’s behavior and recovery. The patient’s health continues to improve and being monitored. Once the patient shows signs of improvement, and the condition is updated from stable to steady, the plans for extensive rehabilitation begins. 

The rehabilitation phase can be challenging for all parties involved in the patient’s health.  The patient may or may not want to cooperate with the physical therapists or physicians following up the patient’s recovery.  The reason why there is a lack of cooperation from the patient’s stand point may be due to the un-ability to recognize the therapists working with him or her; perhaps the patient cannot recognize why he or she is hospitalized, or perhaps is experiencing neurological pain on both upper and lower extremities.  This is a very traumatic stage for the patient as well as for the parents or family members because the patient’s character is different from the person they use to know before the brain injury, but eventually as time progresses, the patient starts responding to treatments and medications in a positive way. However, this does not happen over night. It can be a slow process depending on the degree of the brain injury of the patient.

While in rehabilitation, the patient goes through different changes in behavior and cognitive.  The patient can also develop certain uncontrollable habits such as picking on the wound or sutures (if any are remaining) or pick on the face and start developing sores or skin irritation. If the patient was not the type of individual to use foul language prior the brain injury, do not be surprised if he or she starts to use it and to be violent. Most TBI patients develop this type of behavior due to the trauma received and most patients can’t really control it. They may show violence toward the staff working with them and occasionally toward the family as well.  Some will apologize afterward once they realized they have acted wrong.  The first stage of rehab is the most difficult stage for the patients and family members, and is also the most important part in the patient’s recovery.

How does it affect the individual?

When a person suffers a TBI his or her life is dramatically changed and the changes taking place in their life may be rather difficult to deal with. Patients that survive a TBI can become physically and mentally impaired.  Some patients may experience episodes of outbursts, aggravation, and impatience"a behavior totally different from the person they used to be. The patient may also fall into depressive moods and may cry constantly or suddenly. Such episodes of depression can be treated by the use of an antidepressant and may be monitored on a regular basis. Some individuals lose confidence in them selves and may become very dependant of others while some would rather want to do things for them selves and would refuse or decline to be helped.  One thing remains for sure and that is a person’s life has been changed inside and possibly outside. Even though things may not be the same, it is possible to alleviate some of the difficulties the individual is having such as having a great family support system, and close relationships. They can really play a big role in the person’s total restoration.

How does it affect the parents?

Parents do suffer a great deal when their child or teen has suffered a TBI. They go from disbelief to guilt, to sadness to anger and resentment.  They believe that what happened could have been avoided only if they would have been present at the time of the accident.  Therefore, they begin to create a sense of guilt. For some parents, the shock of what happened can linger in their minds if they don’t seek professional help or some kind of support group. They are filled with sadness because they can’t accept that something of that magnitude has happened to them or to their child or teen. As they deal with the acceptance of what happened, some parents begin to harbor a feeling of anger and resentment toward them selves that can create other problems in the family system. Mothers, especially, tend to suffer more what happened because of the bond that mother and child share from the moment he or she is conceived in the womb. Some mothers may experience some bitterness and resentment toward the individual’s closes friendship because they are no longer around. Fathers on the other hand are stronger and may or may not show the emotional impact they have received. However, they still suffer in silence.  

How does it affect the siblings?

Depending on the relationship that existed between the injured and his or her siblings, a TBI can affect them just as well.  If siblings had a close relationship prior the injury, it can affect them in a negative way in some cases. For example, one sibling might have been close with the injured and suddenly, after the injury the sibling may distance him or herself from the injured. This may be due to the emotional impact or shock the sibling received when he or she heard the news of what happened. If the relationship was not so close, it may affect them in a positive way for various reasons. One of these reasons could be the possible involvement that the sibling might have had at the time of the patient’s injury. If their relationship was “rocky”, the sibling may begin to have feelings of guilt and he or she may take the opportunity to be close in order to have some redemption.

How does it affect friendships?

Someone said that you find out who your real friends are during your worst times. This statement is entirely true. When friends hear about what happened to the individual, there are a series of mixed reactions coming from all different branches. For the must part, friends do panic, they are in shock and disbelief. Some remain around the individual for as long as they can, but eventually will withdraw away from him or her. Those who had a stronger bond with the individual may stick around longer, but eventually will withdraw as well. This is normal especially in teens. As much as they try to stick around, life reality takes a bigger space in their daily activities and for them, life most go on. Some friends have a hard time dealing with the unfortunate happening, and they may get frustrated with their injured friend.  If the individual has any physical evidence of the accident or look different, it will also drive his or her peers away.

Can the individual regain normalcy?

TBIs are serious injuries and are a life changing experience. Whether the individual can regain a sense of normalcy or not, may depend on how traumatic was the injury. For some fortunate ones, they can regain a normal life with extensive physical and occupational therapy, for an extended period of time. For the less fortunate ones, a life of dependency and immobility will be all that it remains.

What can the family of a TBI person do to help?

The support and strong bond of the family plays a key role in the recovery of the patient. It is important that the family stay close, comfort and strengthen each other.  Without this support, the patient has very little to look forward to in life. Some families disintegrate or create conflictive situations to where the patient feels that it is all his or her fault why they are having problems. The patient may feel responsible for the deterioration and problems of the family. The family must be united and supportive to help in the recovery of the patient.

Are there any support groups?

There are support groups all across the U.S. for patients with TBI. Most of the information about these groups can be found in discharge packages given to the family at the time the patient is being discharged from a rehabilitation center. They are more resources to be found in the internet as well. Here are a few website links I found.  However, depending on the state you live in, it is possible to find other websites with support groups that are closest to you.

www.headinjury.com

www.dailystrength.com