Serious motor vehicle accidents often result in victims suffering blunt force trauma that can leave them with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). There aren’t two types of TBIs that are alike. Some of them, like concussions, may only leave behind temporary impairments.
Others may cause residual problems, such as cognitive deficits or emotional and behavioral concerns. While the intellectual deficits caused by a TBI get a lot of attention, the mood disorders victims suffer can be equally devastating.
What are some of the ways TBIs affect your mental health?
Mood disorders are common among individuals who’ve suffered TBIs. The impact the TBI has depends on a few different factors, including the injury’s location, the depth of the trauma and whether or not the victim had any history of mental health concerns.
The victim’s age may also matter as children tend to be more resilient than adults in regaining some emotional or behavioral health coping skills after a TBI, likely because they’re still developing.
What behavioral or emotional shifts do TBI patients often notice?
Mood swings among TBI patients are often unpredictable and profound. They can run the gambit, from extreme moodiness to anger mixed with sadness and aggression or suicidal ideation.
TBI patients may benefit from receiving mental health counseling to better manage their symptoms. However, for some, therapy may not have the intended impact depending on the severity of their injury. A TBI patient’s loved ones may need to forever keep a close eye on them to ensure that their mental or behavioral health struggles don’t lead them down an even darker path.
It can be gut-wrenching being physically the same person but having a mind that’s no longer the same as it was before your accident. It can be hard for your loved ones to come to terms with as well. No money will help you return to being that same person you were before the TBI, but it can help you afford the care necessary to be the best version of yourself.