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A traumatic brain injury can affect various aspects of your life.
An unexpected hit or bump on the head can lead to the development of a severe condition known as traumatic brain injury.
The onset of TBI can cause an individual to grapple with multiple mental health difficulties, like issues concerning emotional well-being and cognitive processes.
With a brain injury, your internal thought process can become complicated and, in other words, messy. The brain uses extra resources and energy to run various processes.
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As a consequence, you experience both physical, emotional and mental effects after a brain injury. You can experience changes at different levels, but you can always choose to restart your life with support and informed recovery tools.
Causes of traumatic brain injury
There can be multiple causes for the development of TBIs. This is commonly a result of sporting injuries, accidents, sudden falls or army expeditions.
A person's overall life gets altered in grave ways due to these occurrences, which can have major repercussions.
The uncertainties of these incidents can give rise to depressive disorders, anxiety or even post-traumatic stress disorder, further fueling the negative effects on mental health.
What are the types of traumatic brain injury?
The classification of TBIs is based on the level of severity and manifestations.
Concussions, also referred to as mild TBI, may lead to temporary impairments in cognitive capabilities, whereas moderate to severe TBIs can cause extended periods of unconsciousness, loss of memory or permanent impairment.
These varied categorizations have a profound impact on our mental health. These can range from subtle mood swings to prominent cognitive impairments, adversely impacting an individual's daily life and emotional balance.
Managing traumatic brain injury: Mental health perspective
Offering guidance and support to people grappling with the effects of TBIs demands a multi-dimentional way of doing things.
Daily exposure to support groups, along with therapies, like cognitive-behavioral therapy, can offer support and care for emotional issues and cognitive shortfalls. Trauma therapy may also be helpful, as traumatic brain injuries often co-occur with PTSD.
Furthermore, an environment of compassion and understanding among friends, family and loved ones can be very significant in lowering the stigma linked to TBIs.
Recently, there have also been advances in the use of psychedelics in the treatment of brain injuries. Researchers continue to find tools that may come in handy for protecting your brain health.
Do note that recovering from a TBI is a very individualised process and can vary from person to person.
Traumatic brain injuries are distinct from other physical traumas. They have a deeper impact on mental health, usually posing multiple difficulties for the sufferers.
Hence, it's of immense significance to identify and embrace the district needs of individuals suffering from TBIs and encourage a supportive environment to cater to their mental health concerns.
While a brain injury can be a major setback, you can always learn to bounce back.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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