With many types of injuries, you assume that life will go back to normal if you’re simply given time to heal. A broken bone needs to be set by a doctor and then it can heal and become strong again. Torn muscles and tendons can also heal, though it tends to take longer. And you may have some lingering physical issues, but you assume you’ll generally be the same person you were before the accident.
With a traumatic brain injury, however, you cannot always make this assumption. People often report serious changes to their personality, potentially to the point that loved ones feel like they are no longer the same person they were before.
What types of changes could you expect?
Every traumatic brain injury case is different because the brain can be injured to a different degree or in a different area. Injured individuals should not expect to have the exact same symptoms and issues as others. However, some of the most common things that have been reported include:
- Social anxiety
- Anger
- Irritability
- Depression
- General anxiety
- Mood swings
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Emotional lability
The changes to your personality can affect your life in a lot of different ways. Maybe you were happily married before, but now you’re struggling with anxiety and depression to the point that your spouse feels they can barely spend time around you. Maybe they just don’t even feel like you’re the person they married. Or perhaps you were always a very driven and successful person at work, but now you have trouble remembering things and you lack motivation. This is going to have a major impact on your career, and it’s not always a given that the brain will heal to reverse these effects.
If you have suffered a serious brain injury, be sure you know exactly what legal options you have to seek financial compensation from the person who was responsible for those injuries.