When you get into a crash and suffer from a head injury, you will have a lot on your plate. The health of your personal relationships will likely not be the first thing on your mind for a while.
However, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can have a profound and notable impact on your personal ties in ways you may not expect.
The impact of moderate to severe brain trauma
Headway discusses the ways in which a brain injury may affect your relationships. Moderate to severe brain trauma, or even mild but complicated trauma, can cause changes to your personality. Sometimes, these changes are significant. For example, it is common to lose the ability to cope with frustration or stress. This can lead to lashing out at loved ones due to the inability to communicate these negative emotions properly.
Changes in personality
Many TBI victims also suffer from increased anger or agitation, and a decreased ability to control impulses. This can lead to saying and doing things that seem out of character or even cruel. Many loved ones with a TBI victim in their lives state that it sometimes feels like the victim has become a stranger due to the completely different ways in which they can act.
On top of these anxiety-inducing changes, you will also see a major shift in responsibilities and roles. For example, if you provided financial support, you will likely no longer be able to due to taking time off of work to recover. If you took care of household matters or looked after your children, these duties will often fall to a loved one.
Needless to say, these changes will cause stress in anyone. They can put significant strain on your relationships if you do not do anything to mitigate the damage.
