Emotional Distress after a Traumatic Brain Injury

Emotional Distress after a Traumatic Brain Injury

A study was published on the emotional distress and personality changes that people go through after a traumatic brain injury. A team of researchers published their findings in Brain Injury after following several dozen individuals who were involved in an auto accident and were subsequently diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. The researchers followed these individuals after their accident and diagnosis, looking for signs of emotional distress and personality changes. They found that more than 90 percent of the individuals suffered some form of psychiatric disorder. Some of the many different mental problems that they identified included:

• Motor and sensory changes
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Emotional lability such as rapid mood shifts between sadness, anger, and excitement
• Somatic symptom disorders such as persistent abdominal pain, visual changes, and hearing issues
• Sexual dysfunction
• Depression and anxiety disorders

The researchers concluded that emotional distress stems from many of these changes and can often exacerbate the disorders. Furthermore, emotional distress, such as sadness or irritability, is often the first signs that a psychiatric or mental health disorder is present. Finally, the researchers also found that the complications of these changes can ripple throughout life and damage:

• The social relationships between the individual and their family members and friends.
• Attempts to retain gainful employment after the injury.
• Overall enjoyment of all that life has to offer.

Because of these serious issues, the researchers concluded by making some recommendations on how families and loved ones can address the serious nature of a traumatic brain injury.

What Families Can Do: Seeking Help as Quickly as Possible

These mental health issues could arise at any time and, because of this, it is essential for families to seek help from a trained psychiatric professional as quickly as possible. Emotional disorders and cognitive issues can significantly impact the ability of the brain to adapt to a serious injury. Some of the ways that a mental health professional can help include:

• Conducting a series of interviews to identify where the cognitive changes have taken place. This can help to localize the brain damage inside of the head if the imaging scans have not already identified it.
• Testing executive functioning, processing speeds, and cognition that will help to identify deficits.
• Testing the individual’s motor function and sensory abilities.

Health professionals also have access to numerous resources which are necessary for the development of a comprehensive treatment approach. All of this information is important for coming up with a possible psychiatric diagnosis and beginning the treatment process. Ultimately, the sooner these problems are identified, the faster treatment can begin. This might even lead to improved prognosis.

Watch YouTube Video: Brain Injury from Emotional Trauma. In this video, Dr. Nemechek discusses the emotional trauma following a traumatic brain injury.

Contacting a Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer

Head and brain injuries have numerous complications that could arise. These complications can severely impact not only the individual but also their family members and friends. Because of this, it is imperative for everyone to ask for help. These issues are serious and meeting with a brain injury lawyer in the Bay Area is a good place to start. An injury lawyer can provide assistance with:

• Making sure that the various details from the accident are considered appropriately.
• Discussing the accident with various financial institutions and insurance companies to make sure that all of the payouts are maximized.
• Aiding families in pursuing damages that are related to head injury, its complications, and emotional pain.
• Shifting a case to trial if required.

Families need to know that they are not alone after such a serious accident. Reach out to an experienced Bay Area brain injury lawyer today. You and your loved ones could be entitled to a financial settlement.

Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers in the Bay Area