A traumatic brain injury can occur in a variety of scenarios. Motor vehicle accidents, assaults and slip-and-falls can all result in a TBI. If you suffered a traumatic brain injury, it can completely alter how you live your life. Additionally, you may find that you experience emotions differently than you did before.
Understanding how a TBI can affect your emotions can help you cope with the different changes.
Reasons for emotional changes
How your TBI affects your emotions or personality depends on the location of the injury. Sometimes, emotional changes occur because the injury directly impacts the brain regions that dictate how your brain works and how you express emotion.
The injury can also affect your ability to think, reason and remember. Problems with cognition can make activities as simple as a conversation feel overwhelming. As you become more overwhelmed due to the TBI, you have a higher chance of reacting with anger, sadness or anxiety.
Types of emotional changes
There are a variety of emotional changes that you may experience. Among the most common changes include depression and anxiety. People with TBIs may experience intense fear and find it difficult to focus on recovery. They may feel more anxious daily, in crowds or when people change plans. In addition to anxiety, many people also experience depression. Sometimes, depression occurs because of the changes associated with the injury. Depression can make someone feel sad, worthless and frustrated. The person may have difficulty sleeping and eating.
TBIs can result in serious changes to your life. Medicine and counseling can help you overcome some of the emotional changes.