The Link Between Brain Injury and Mental Health
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, so we want to highlight how traumatic brain injuries affect everyday life, particularly how they affect mental health. First, we should discuss what exactly is a traumatic brain injury. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a brain injury that is caused by an outside force, more specifically a strong blow to the head. Common causes of TBIs include falling, road accidents, sports injuries, being struck with an object, strokes, concussions, tumors, drug overdoses, and oxygen deprivation.
Since TBIs can damage areas of the brain that are responsible for emotional regulation, such as the frontal lobe, they can dramatically impact mental health, well-being, and daily life in general by causing a noticeable personality shift. This personality shift includes impulsivity, irritability, and apathy. Other effects on mental health include an increased risk of anxiety and depression, psychological trauma and PTSD, memory loss, brain fog, and trouble focusing.
If you or a loved one has suffered from a TBI and are experiencing the above symptoms, here is what you can do to manage your mental health:
You or your loved one can participate in therapeutic and neuropsychological assessments such as Cognitive Behaviral Therapy (CBT), trauma-informed care, and mindfulness-based stress reduction methods.
You can rely on a support system that consists of family and friends or of other TBI survivors.
You can make changes to your lifestyle, such as having a structured daily schedule, increased physical activity, consistent sleep schedules, having a balanced diet, and practicing meditation and breathing exercises to lower stress levels.
Here at InSync Counseling, we offer assistance to those who are suffering from anxiety, depression, and struggling with an important transition in life. Recovery from a TBI is possible, and by noticing the symptoms and utilizing the above strategies, your mental well-being will be nurtured, and you might be able to adapt to new changes.
