Motivation After a Traumatic Brain Injury

Motivation After a Traumatic Brain Injury

If an individual suffers a traumatic brain injury, this can cause drastic changes in his or her life. However, some of these changes might not be noticed for an extended period. A recent medical research study explored how a head or brain injury might impact someone’s motivation. This change in someone’s energy and drive can make it more difficult to attain one’s life goals.

A traumatic brain injury occurs when a blow to the head causes either a permanent or a temporary change in the ability of the brain to function appropriately. Some of the common ways in which someone might sustain a TBI include:

• An impact between the skull and the steering wheel or dashboard in an auto accident.
• Repeated concussions which can occur while playing sports.
• A slip and fall injury on a staircase, a wet floor, or an icy sidewalk.
• Involvement in a physical assault.

Regardless of how this injury happens, there are significant complications which can follow. These complications can be severe and life-altering.

The Study Design: Individuals Suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury

A group of medical researchers published a study that was designed to assess the motivation of individuals who had suffered head trauma. Some of these individuals suffered relatively minor traumatic brain injuries, such as a concussion without a loss of consciousness, while others had suffered severe head injuries. The individuals were asked to take a test called the Portland Digit Recognition Test. This is a forced-choice recognition memory test which assessed the motivation of the individual. The experiment targeted short-term memory. The researchers scored the performance of the various individuals and looked for trends among the test scores and the severity of the injury.

The Results of the Research Study

The researchers found that those who had suffered a more severe traumatic brain injury performed about 25 percent worse than those with a mild brain injury. A severe brain injury was defined as an injury that led to:

• A prolonged loss of consciousness
• Apparent changes in the structure of the brain matter on imaging scans
• A brain bleed, particularly those requiring evacuation by a trained neurological surgeon
• Permanent motor or sensory changes
• Prolonged time missed from work

The results indicate that those who suffer a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury might suffer from a reduced level of motivation. The next question, then, is why these individuals suffer from a reduced level of motivation and how this might impact their everyday lives. Without motivation, it could be harder to engage the individual in meaningful therapy sessions that might help them recover lost functions, return to work, or go back to school.

Watch YouTube Video: Lack of Stamina and Motivation-Frontal Lobe Damage Symptom. In the following video, a young woman describes how a traumatic brain injury has affected her stamina and motivation of daily life.

Other Complications Following a Traumatic Brain Injury

After a traumatic brain injury, there are numerous complications of which family members and friends should be mindful. Some of these complications could show up immediately after the injury while others may not appear for several weeks, months, or even years. A few of these complications include:

• The development of early-onset dementia, marked by memory impairment and increased forgetfulness.
• Problems related to chronic pain in one or more areas of the body.
• Emotional lability marked by rapid switches between euphoria, anger, and sadness.
• Increased frustration related to an inability to perform activities that previously had come easily.
• Problems related to mental health issues such as depression or anxiety disorders.

Without a doubt, anyone suffering from these complications needs to seek medical care as quickly as possible.

Contacting an Injury Attorney

The complications following a TBI can leave an entire family wondering what they should do next. After all, their loved one might be dealing with significant life changes that could impact them for the rest of their life. The most important thing for families to remember is that help is available. This includes both medical care and legal resources. It is essential to speak with a brain injury lawyer in San Francisco. Some of the ways a trained injury attorney can provide assistance include:

• The review of medical records to ensure that important details have not been overlooked.
• Access to trained accident reconstruction professionals who can help families reconstruct precisely what happened at the scene.
• The pursuit of damages related to the head or brain injury, its complications, and emotional trauma.
• Moving a case to trial when required.

Families should never feel as though they have to face this tough situation alone. Remember to speak with a San Francisco Brain Injury Lawyer. You and your family could be owed a substantial financial award.

San Francisco Traumatic Brain Injury Attorneys