Depression Archives - Jumbledbrain

Guest post: 7 Common Behavioral Effects of Brain Injury and How to Deal With Them

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 19:46:30 +0000

Today’s article is written by Hazel Ann Westco.

Hazel Ann Westco is a start-up freelance writer. She is interested in writing blogs and articles related to legal cases mainly in personal injury and employment. Whenever she has free time she rides her bicycle or motorcycle for a road trip. You can follow her on Twitter using her handle @AnnWestco.

She has looked into some of the behavioral effects of brain injury and has some tips on what to do when they arise.

A brain injury can have various physical, cognitive, medical, emotional, and behavioral effects on head injury survivors. Of these changes, behavioral changes can be one of the most challenging for survivors to overcome to live happier and more independently. To help survivors with traumatic brain injury (TBI), families and caregivers should learn to understand their behavior and develop practical ways to address those challenges.

Why Does Brain Injury Affect Emotions?

Behavioral problems following TBI are often the result of damage to the frontal lobe, the area of the brain that controls “executive functions.” Executive functions refer to the set of skills a person uses to plan, create, evaluate, organize, evaluate, reason, communicate, and solve problems. These impairments have a significant impact on how a person behaves.

Common Behavioral Changes Experienced by TBI Survivors

Human behavior is complex and multi-faceted. This means it can be difficult to isolate which behavior is a result of TBI. A TBI patients behavior is, after all, influenced by many different factors, like the nature of the injury, their pre- and post-injury experience, their cognitive abilities, or the behavior of other people. But some of the most common behavior changes encountered by TBI survivors include:

1. Memory Problems

Most people diagnosed with a brain disorder may experience memory problems, but they are more common among TBI survivors as a result of an injury from the bony protrusions inside the skull. Typical situations include forgetting a person’s name, losing a train of thought, and difficulty learning new things.

2. Temper Outbursts

Family members of people with TBI often describe their loved one as someone with a quick temper. They may use bad language, throw objects, or slam doors. Drastic changes like the loss of independence and inability to follow a conversation, in particular, can make a person with TBI more prone to these temper outbursts.

3. Depression

Depression among people with TBI can arise because of the struggle to adjust to disabilities and the changes to one’s role in the family and society. Symptoms of depression include feelings of worthlessness, suicidal thoughts, changes in sleep and appetite, and withdrawal from peers.

4. Poor Concentration

TBI affects a person’s attention and concentration abilities, posing a challenge to work, study, and everyday living. Poor concentration manifests itself in difficulty multitasking, following conversations, and processing information. This happens when the lateral intraparietal cortex—the region of the brain responsible for controlling attention—suffers damage.

5. Self-Centered Attitude

It’s common for TBI survivors to show signs of egocentrism. In turn, this could hamper their ability to see things from another person’s point of view which severely impact their relationship with family members, especially if they used to be a caring person. And although it is often taken for granted, the ability to understand another’s perspective is a complex cognitive skill.

6. Aggressive Behavior

Aggressive behavior following a TBI is often impulsive. A person with TBI can easily grow agitated over trivial disagreements. Experts explain that aggression that happens directly after the TBI is the result of delirium and other post-injury medications. Aggression up to three months after TBI, on the other hand, happens as a result of depression, chronic pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

7. Lower Sex Drive

A decreased desire or interest in sex is more common among TBI survivors than heightened libido. Disinhibited sexual behavior can be a possible effect of poor awareness and impulsivity. Changes in sexual functioning following TBI can be due to hormonal changes, medication side effects, fatigue, and movement problems.

Coping with a Loved One with Head Injury

People with TBI showing signs of these behavior problems should be evaluated by a doctor so they can receive proper treatment. On top of medical intervention, friends and family of survivors should also actively participate in rehabilitation, recovery, and advocacy.

1. Set Realistic Expectations

Brain injury has lifelong effects. It pays to understand that a person with TBI might already be trying his or her best. Every member of the family can have different abilities, skills, comfort levels, and limitations, so set small goals and acknowledge that every day is an achievement.

2. Get Involved

Behavioral problems are often hard to deal with. But try to resist the temptation of avoiding difficult situations. People with TBI could end up feeling more confused and isolated if left alone. Instead, get involved and familiarize yourself with their day-to-day routine.

3. Encourage Independence

Learning how to comfort a loved one with TBI is a must. But tread carefully: there is a fine line between caring for people and smothering them with affection. Try to instill independence and study their behavior to know the right time to provide comfort.

4. Reinforce Positive Behavior

What used to come easy to a TBI survivor may now feel extremely difficult. Reinforce positive behavior by focusing on the patient’s strengths, rather than pointing fingers or directing behavior.

5. Rediscover Preferences

Stay alert and pay attention to the wants and needs of a person with TBI. Discover new ways they can engage in activities and establish a balance between easy and difficult tasks. And always encourage them to participate, instead of assuming that their injury makes them unable to.

6. Confide with Loved Ones

Honesty is the best policy, and confiding in friends and family members can help alleviate the burden. Enlisting others for support can provide a fresh perspective and make it easier to identify triggers and how to avoid them.

7. Bounce Back Quickly

Accept that encountering behavioral problems is a part of life. Avoid getting stuck by teaching

new skills while a person is upset. Bounce back quickly from these obstacles then revisit them again later since people aren’t receptive to learning new things when they’re upset.

Other articles you may like:

Have you or a brain injury survivor you know struggled with these behavioural issues? What advice would you give to others?

The post Guest post: 7 Common Behavioral Effects of Brain Injury and How to Deal With Them appeared first on Jumbledbrain.

Guest post: The gifts of my traumatic brain injury

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 16:07:24 +0000

This inspiring young man has written another post for us. Here he explains how he tackled the negative thoughts he was plagued with following his traumatic brain injury. In fact, he is now able to be so positive about it that he has named some of the gifts he feels his brain injury has given him.

About the Author:

Brandon Leuangpaseuth is a writer from San Diego, CA that helps various brain injury attorneys across the country with their public relations. You can connect with him on LinkedIn @ bleuangpaseuth.C

When I was only 20-years old, I was hit by a car. My body was flung 20-feet across the freeway.

I shattered my jaw, collarbone, nose, and it left me with a serious traumatic brain injury (TBI). After a month, I was released from the hospital. I quickly realized how difficult life would be living with a TBI. I had all the symptoms of a severe traumatic brain injury. I had short-term memory loss, fatigued easily, slept more than usual, suffered dreadful migraines, etc.

After I was released from the hospital, I spiralled into a deep depression.

How was I going to find a job?
How was I going to graduate from college?
How was I going to pursue my dreams with this disability?

Imagine being so young and sustaining such a life-altering injury. It felt like my world came crashing down…and it was hard to get out of bed every day. When I did get out of bed, I found myself walking around the block countlessly worrying about my future. I sought help from a therapist to help ease the burden of these constant negative thoughts. I recall in a session, I broke down and sobbed to the therapist about how I would never be the same again after my brain injury. As I gushed out my sorrows, I remember my therapist looking down at her notepad, slowly back

up at me and then muttered: “what if this was a gift?”

Those words shook me like a tremoring earthquake. I stared at her wide-eyed for what seemed like an eternity. How could receiving a brain injury be a gift? I thought to myself.

— Fast forward 4 years later–

Now, 4 years after I received my traumatic brain injury, I can look back and see what my therapist was trying to do. The effects of my brain injury were still there, but my perception of how the effects impacted my life changed. This helped me adapt and cope with living with my brain injury better.

Of course, life is different with a brain injury, but changing my perception of the effects of my brain injury has helped me cope a lot.

Here are the gifts my TBI has given me

1. It Made Me More Organized

At first, after I received the brain injury, I tried to remember all the things that I needed to do during the day in my head as I had prior to getting hit by the car. Not surprisingly, I failed… miserably. I would mix up things up in my schedule and always forget to do certain tasks that I needed to do on some days…

I remember one day in an outpatient therapy session at my intensive rehab centre, my therapist told me something that stuck with me.

“You do not need a good memory as long as you have good reminder systems in place. Use your phone, calendar, and computer to help you build reminder systems to where it is almost impossible to forget!”

After I heard that, I made it an effort to strategically develop systems to where I did not have to rely on my memory too much. If someone told me to do something or I had to do something in the future, I would immediately set up reminders on my phone to go off and remind me. I would develop to-do lists on my phone almost every day laying out what needed to get done as well as

maintain an up to date calendar with all the events or things I had to do in my life. I outsourced that part of my brain to technology.

The result?

I am way more organized and on top of my stuff more so than I was prior to the accident! I have become so organized, it is very rare (and even bizarre!) for me to miss something. I have developed good organization systems and habits that made me on top of all my stuff. I am grateful that my TBI has helped organize my life.

2. I Prioritized My Life

One of the most impactful effects of my TBI is that I fatigued easier. Experiencing this really made me look back at my life and realize I took my energy for granted when I was younger. I used to have a ton of energy to do things all day–nonstop! That changed after the accident.

This symptom of quick fatigue is the most prevalent one in my life today and is still tough to adapt to. I only have a set amount of energy to do things in my life before I received a numbing brain fog and I exhausted…

I quickly learned how to reevaluate and prioritize my life. This meant I had to rank in my life what was important for me to get done and decide where I had to allocate my little energy too. In other words, I only did what was important to me.

I cut out a lot of meaningless activities in my life such as watching television or aimlessly browsing the internet to hone in on the truly vital activities like exercising or hanging out with friends. I had to say “no” to activities in my life that would not be a good use of my resources. This has led me to really consider my values and what is important to me in my life!

3. I Accidentally Stopped Taking Things Too Personally

The majority of the time, having bad memory can be onerous to deal with. Always forgetting things can make life more difficult. However, I think there is one positive trait of having my abysmal memory. I accidentally stopped taking things too personally.

What I mean by this is that I would just forget about certain negative interactions and move on. Before the accident, I used to get so caught up on little things like a someone not texting me back, insults or someone making me mad. These interactions would often ruin my day and stay on my mind for weeks upon weeks. I would think about them as I went about my life way past

after they occurred. These things would stay on my mind way longer than I would care to admit. Now, I just naturally forget about the interactions.

I would often forget if I had texted someone in the first place and they didn’t respond or if an interaction went sour. I would just forget and move on. My poor memory was a blessing in disguise in regards to this aspect of my life.

4. Got Me In The Habit Of Taking Care Of Myself

Brain injuries are tricky injuries. If you break a bone, you can get an x-ray and see if the injury healed or the bones mended back together. For the brain, it is tougher to measure or see. I remember sitting in my neurologist’s office and her telling me that the best thing I can do to heal my brain would be to take care of myself. She mentioned to me that I should eat right, exercise, get a lot of sleep and avoid alcohol.

I took her words to heart. Since I could not see the healing of my brain in an x-ray or anything like that, I promised myself to take care of myself, do my best to give my brain the best chance to heal and just hope for the best.

I started to eat a really clean diet, I consistently attended the gym, avoided alcohol for a year, and was often in bed really early. This habit of taking care of myself did wonders for my brain injuries’ healing as well as in all other aspects of my life. I noticed substantial progress in my ability to remember things, I felt better all of the time and I got in great shape! Receiving a brain injury has made me adapt to a healthier lifestyle.

Change Your Perspective! In the last 4 years, with some help, I barely managed to graduate from college and was still able find an amazing career. I credit a lot my mental health progress to my paradigm shift on how I viewed my brain injury.

If there is one message I want to pass along to other brain injury survivors or other people, in general, is that sometimes you cannot change things that happen to you but you are responsible for how you perceive or react to them.

If you suffer from a TBI, try to reframe your perception of the effects of it. Living with a TBI can be burdensome. How I see it, is that I cannot really change the effects of the TBI, however, I could change my perception of how they impact my life to a more positive one. Try it out! Try to perceive your brain injury or supposedly negative events in your life in a more

positive light. I am sure it will help you cope and be happier

Other articles you may like:

Has your brain injury resulted in any positive changes that you now see as gifts?

The post Guest post: The gifts of my traumatic brain injury appeared first on Jumbledbrain.

Guest post: Dawn McKay on brain injury & chronic pain after a car accident

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 16:34:07 +0000

Today’s post is by Dawne McKay, Founder of Cash Support & Recovery.

Twitter: @Crashsupportnet Facebook: Crash Support Network.

Dawne McKay created a Facebook group, Cash Support and Recovery Group and also blogs about her own personal experience as an survivor of a horrific collision. Her online support group for survivors is Cash Support Network Group.

Life was great that fall morning. Having just spent the night at my boyfriend’s house, I was watching the sun rise as I drove to a job that I loved. Finally I held a position within an Organization that I had been dreaming about. I was healthy, happy and extremely driven. I was in a wonderful relationship that had just blossomed and I had great friends both personally and professionally. With an exceptional driving record for the last twenty years, I was an excellent driver and I had never been in a horrific accident. As someone who well liked and full of confidence, life was good.

I vaguely remember the first impact from the distracted driver that had hit me from behind, causing me to be tossed around in my vehicle and I do not remember the second impact from a tractor trailer. I remember feeling trapped, cold, frightened and confused. Having been rushed to a local hospital, I was immediately transferred to a trauma hospital where I stayed for a few days mending multiple injuries including a brain injury.

My good life now consisted of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, medical appointments, legal appointments, sleepless nights, nightmares, financial burdens, anxiety and chronic pain. Once mobile, I was introduced to outpatient rehabilitation where I attended twice a week. After a year or so I was told I had reached a plateau which meant I had to accept the fact that I will not fully recover but I would continue treatments. Did I mention my good life also consisted of depression and weight gain? Receiving news that you have reached a plateau in your recovery can do that to you.

Every activity is painful and you are forever mourning the “you” who once accomplished so much in a day. Confidence has taken a back seat and I no longer enjoy being in a vehicle. I can now predict weather and can tell you when it will rain. I can even go as far to tell you when there will be a change in the barometric pressure lucky me! A peaceful night’s sleep is a thing of the past as my nights are now being interrupted with trying to find comfortable positions to deal with the pain. I lost a job I had worked so hard for and close friends disappeared. My good life is now facing the fact that I have arthritis in many areas of my body and I feel like I have aged 10 years.

Financially, this life changing event almost broke me. The battles that take place with insurance companies after a car accident is shameful. Fighting for what you paid into is a full- time job in itself. My good life now consists of hearing numerous remarks from people that seem to know me better than myself. Remarks such as: “Must be nice to not have to work”, “You will feel better once you get your settlement”, “You look fine”, “You need to get over it” and “There is nothing wrong with you” just to name a few. I still get upset and angry hearing these types of comments because people just don’t seem to get it.

For the people that think I have it easy, I did not ask to leave my job. I did not quit, get a promotion or get fired. That decision was made for me the morning a driver decided to drive distracted and rear end me at a high rate of speed.

For the people that think I have it easy, I would ask that you change places with me for one day. Live with my chronic pain and tell me if you still think I have it easy.

For the people that think I have it easy, I did not choose to have sleepless nights filled with flashbacks, nightmares, chronic pain and anxiety. That life change was made for me because a driver was not paying attention.

For the people that think I have it easy, I did not choose to wait over a year to receive any type of income while my insurance company decided if my injuries were significant enough. That decision was made for me because I could not work.

For the people that think I have it easy, I did not choose to become forgetful and no longer a multi tasker. That decision was made for me because my head crashed into the windshield of my car which caused a traumatic brain injury.

For the people that think I have it easy, being involved in a car accident is not a sudden windfall. I would prefer to be driving into work today but I am not able to.

For the people that think I have it easy, I did not choose to have PTSD. That decision was made for me after being involved in a horrific car accident.

For the people that think I have it easy, I did not choose to stay in bed all day today, that decision was made for me because I live with chronic pain.

For the people that think I have it easy, although I may look fine to you, I ask you to remember that my life completely changed because of my accident. Surviving a car accident is a daily struggle on so many levels and even though you may see me smiling, I suffer from chronic pain, PTSD and I am on my third night with barely any sleep. Unless you have experienced a horrific car accident first hand, you will truly never understand so please don’t be so quick to judge us.

Other articles you may like:

Do you find people are quick to judge you even when they know your car accident left you with a brain injury? How could others support you better?

The post Guest post: Dawn McKay on brain injury & chronic pain after a car accident appeared first on Jumbledbrain.

Guest post: Kelly Ribeiro on brain injury, “Heal first, life can wait.”

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 14:57:35 +0000

Today’s post shows how determination alone isn’t enough to put life back together after a brain injury. Kelly Ribeiro had a true passion for her career, and appeared to be defying the odds when she continued to climb the career ladder following her car accident. But then suddenly it took a second bite out of her….

Heal first, life can wait

I was driving home in the early morning after a Friday night out. My blood alcohol level was .01, so it was well below the legal limit and it would be fair to say it didn’t impact my driving. The details are a little hazy, but I believe I swerved to avoid an animal. My car went onto the grass sloped divide between the North & South carriageways where I was ejected out of the sun roof. This was despite wearing a seatbelt, in my brand new car. Not only did I suffer a traumatic brain injury, but I also broke all major bones except my left arm. I was left in a coma for three months.

Since then I have had approximately 20+ surgeries. It is a blessing & a curse, but I recall, now 21 years later, most of what happened from the night of my accident to the time I entered the rehab in Braintree Massachusetts. However from then my memory is sketchy. I am not sure I was cognitive 24 hours a day when I was then moved, but thanks to insurance I had little choice but to go with it. After relearning basic life skills over again, four months after sustaining my brain injury, I was sent home. But I was not independently walking or able to fully care for myself.

As soon as I was home and able to regain life, I hurried back to work. I worked for a National Mutual Insurance Company, I loved my job. A job I had no memory of what to do beside knowing my love for it. I worked the next 18 years having countless number of surgeries and needing ‘brain breaks” and suffering from epilepsy. Each year, despite my condition I was rewarded with raises and a promotion.

Then one day, I realized what had happened. I had no support, understanding or compassion at that point from my employer. I had a break down. It hit me; I’d almost died! This caused a major depression which brought many of my deficits up front and center. My short-term memory was at its worst, my gate had become obviously hindered. Almost as if I had caused a second brain injury thru emotion. My employer would not wait for me to “get better” again.

Today, no longer employed, I work daily to regain what I was able to do following my accident when I returned to work so I can get my life back. Not only financially but emotionally.

My message to all is to feel, you need to heal first, life can wait.

Other articles you may like:

Did you try to return to work? How did your employer respond?

The post Guest post: Kelly Ribeiro on brain injury, “Heal first, life can wait.” appeared first on Jumbledbrain.

How my self-esteem plummeted after a brain injury.

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 14:49:27 +0000

Before my brain injury, and being a realist about my strengths and weaknesses, I was comfortable with them. I was in my early 30’s, and had just got to that point when you really know yourself. Being honest with myself meant I achieved things by playing to my strong points, and asking for support on the things I wasn’t confident in. (Sounds obvious but previously I had been too scared to admit when I was finding something hard.) Life was good, and my self-esteem was in the best place it has ever been.

Enter stage left: Brain injury shakes everything up.

By now you will have heard me talk about how my career ended following my accident. And you might have read how looking for a new job didn’t pan out well for me in Unexpected interviewing disaster for TBI survivor. All of which is bad news for anyone’s self-esteem. But maybe that’s just ego, and I’m over that (sort of).

I have a problem with ME. My consciousness, spirit, soul…. whatever you want to call it. Weirdly, I’m not even sure that I’d noticed. That is until my partner, James, said to me “What’s with all the negative self talk?” This was after days of me listing my perceived faults at any given opportunity. I left like I was just being realistic and acknowledging the facts. But actually this is a change in my “self-concept.”

What is self-concept?

This is the feeling that you’re not the person you were, cognitively or physically, wrapped up in your level of self-esteem. But I’d been through to darkest phase of wondering what was the point of surviving my accident to be left with this inferior version of me. As I knew what that felt like, and how all-consuming it is to question your own existence, I had been brushing under the carpet what I was now feeling.

It appears to me that this can keep coming in waves or cycles. First when you return home and start to see how you can’t go back to life as it was is the first one. But then you adjust and on some level accept what you can achieve. However I allowed myself to be lulled into a false sense of security. Yes I’ve come a long way, and I do have a place in this world. But as my priorities had changed I’d let go of my vanity. I’d become fat and ugly. (Please don’t feel the need to write in telling me what a ‘beautiful’ woman I am. I realise that this is my inner voice being unreasonably hard on me, and I’m not attention seeking or craving compliments.) I think as my life moves forward my attention and priorities move. Thus I have become more interested again in my appearance and how the world sees me. Basically I am regretting letting myself go.

The importance of self-care.

I thought to worry about my appearance was self-centered. When you have been faced with your own mortality and continuing health issues it seemed trivial. But that’s really not the case. I know pride is one of the seven deadly sins and as I’m an atheist you might think I’m falling into its trap. But you have to look after yourself in order to have the strength to give to others. I know I said this before in Confess to pressure: being a voice of brain injury, so I’m not going to bang that drum again. Just know that it’s something that you have to keep coming back to and maintain it.

I know that as a natural part of aging everyone has to face changes in their life. Be it our role in society or how our bodies change, no one is immune. Of course each stage means we have to adjust, and sometimes it’ll be harder than others. You don’t need to feel like you’re failing just because it’s hard. After all, it’s the biggest challenges that teach us the most.

Do you struggle with your self-esteem following a brain injury? Have you got an advice you want to give to others?

The post How my self-esteem plummeted after a brain injury. appeared first on Jumbledbrain.

Guest post: Jeff Huxford on accepting life post brain injury

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 12:11:17 +0000

This year I am inviting other brain injury survivors to write guest posts on my blog. That way you get more than just my experience or point of view. So kicking us off is Jeff Huxford. He kindly offered one of his published articles from his own blog jeffhuxford.com for me to share with you. I decided it would be useful for you to hear how he felt about accepting the new Jeff, as he found he had some limitations and couldn’t continue as a doctor anymore.

JEFF HUXFORD, M.D. CURRENTLY LIVES IN FRANKLIN, TN, WITH HIS WIFE (JACQUI) AND TWO CHILDREN (JAYSE, JENNA). AFTER HIS MEDICAL CAREER WAS CUT SHORT BY A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, HE BECAME A BLOGGER, AUTHOR, AND SPEAKER. HIS FIRST BOOK, FINDING NORMAL: AN UNINVITED CHANGE, AN UNEXPECTED OUTCOME WAS RELEASED IN 2018. HE ALSO BLOGS AT JEFFHUXFORD.COM JEFF CAN BE REACHED BY EMAIL AT NEWNORMAL5312@GMAIL.COM.

Giving up

“I gave up!”

I used to feel embarrassed for saying this because giving up meant that I had failed to achieve what I had set out to achieve. It was certainly opposed to what I grew up believing and to the lessons I learned from an American culture that stresses the need to “win at all costs.” I was also well aware that some people would likely judge me for it. They may feel like I should have tried harder or given it more time, but I am learning to ignore these people, because I have come to believe giving up was necessary for me to move on following a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

When I started recovering from my TBI, my goal was to regain my former self and former life. Because I grew up believing anything was possible with time, hard work, and determination, I was confident I could do it. I could be the same husband. I could be the same father. I could be the same friend. I could have the same personality. I could be the same doctor. I could have the same hobbies. To support my quest, TJIJA (Till Jeff is Jeff Again) shirts were made and worn by my friends and family. But TJIJA never happened.

There are still days I want my formal life back, but I finally gave up on it. I admitted I was going to be different, but this was just the beginning step. I also had to learn to accept it, and this has been a process. Learning to accept and embrace my “new normal” has been an experience that has not only been humbling, but life changing and life giving as well.

After my TBI, trying to return to my old self proved to be a never-ending, tireless, exhausting, and fruitless journey. But I finally gave up on it. Giving up wasn’t easy for me to do, but without doing that, the process of accepting and embracing the new me could have never started.

Sometimes giving up and accepting things for what they are is the only way to win.

I think most of us can relate to what Jeff is talking about. When he mentions how the culture of the western world, the “can do” attitude, put extra pressure on him. I scratched the surface of this feeling in Don’t guess what I need – Words of a brain injury survivor, where I mentioned how I was conscious of how I should have the British “stiff upper lip”. It’s not quite the same thing as what was driving Jeff, but the result is the same. We both tried to force our way through, believing that mind over matter could make the difference, only for it to end in disappointment.

But as Jeff has proved, the key is accepting your current self and adapting to your new life. He has proved his talent in writing, and his new book will be out in just a few weeks. It is available to preorder on his website now. You can listen to Jeff and his family talk about how his brain injury changed their lives on his 5 minute video, The Huxford Family Story: “Finding normal” after a traumatic brain injury.

Other articles you may like:

How did you go about accepting your life post brain injury? What advice would you have for others who are going through this process right now?

The post Guest post: Jeff Huxford on accepting life post brain injury appeared first on Jumbledbrain.

Clamming up about my brain injury stings relationships

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 18:34:17 +0000

At times I’m just too tired to explain how I’m feeling. (You might have noticed I write less often than I used to and that’s one of the reasons for it.) Sometimes there is a storm of emotions inside me which I realise are irrational but I can’t quell them. So to avoid saying anything that I would later regret, I find myself clamming up. But my face rarely gets the memo and goes into full on sulky mode. I’m so bored of this brain injury, I wish I could direct my anger at it and evict it from my head. Sadly it doesn’t work like that though.

At the time clamming up feels like the lesser of two evils. But maybe it isn’t.

My silence carries more weight than I intend it to. All I’m doing it trying to contain my poisonous tongue. Some people go quiet for dramatic effect, waiting for someone to ask “What’s wrong, you’ve hardly said a word today?” I guarantee you, that when you are struggling with a brain injury there is no such thing as dramatic effect.

Even when I’m trying to be mindful, holding my tongue is the best I can do. I might be sulking about my partner James having to work so much, and having less time with him. As he is the only one bringing in a income, I know I can’t begrudge him for being so conscientious. In fact, I know he would like nothing more than being able to work less, or even take early retirement. But currently neither are an option. So I try to remind myself of this and empathise with his position. And it works, but not for my brain injury. It just keeps complaining and dragging me down.

How silence leaves too many unanswered questions.

My grumpiness is too obvious, and I know it makes James feel guilty. But he has nothing to feel guilty about. He has been truly amazing the entire time. Superman hasn’t got a patch on this guy. If the world had more people like him in it, people wouldn’t need heaven.

But he still doubts himself as he can read my face. So eventually I manage to spill, but I start with a disclaimer: “I know I’m being stupid, and here’s the reason why it’s stupid …..blah,blah,blah…. but I can’t help it. I’m upset about ….x,y,z….. because…..”

This really does help the situation, it’s just a shame it takes me so long to be in a position where I can do it. James is getting used to my behaviour, but he is only human (although he’s as close to an angel as you can get.) When I am clamming up, his mind is running a million miles an hour, thinking of all the things I might be annoyed about. I do feel bad for torturing him like this as he doesn’t deserve it. So here’s a shout out for all the carers who somehow put up with the nonsense some of us survivors put them through.

I’m tired and I’ve run out of words again so I’m going to leave it there. I think you get the point, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who is going through this.

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Do you find yourself clamming up, or are you the opposite? If you say everything that is going on in your mind does it work out well for you?

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10 foods for calming the obligatory brain injury roller-coaster

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 16:07:28 +0000

When people politely ask me how I’m doing, I say “not bad”. I like to think of this as not lying as it’s just a snap shot of my life. Some days are tolerable, and even a special few are bloody brilliant. That’s probably true for the majority of people. But when I have a bad brain day, I feel like my world has collapsed all over again. It’s like I’m stuck on a roller-coaster that gives me relief when it’s on the climb. But I reach the top and it punishes me when I’m in free fall coming down.

I don’t even know how to explain it when I’m in the middle of a bad brain day.

As I do quiet well at expressing what life post brain injury is like, I still find it surprising that I can’t explain myself when I’m in a bad place. Just recently I haven’t been awful, but everyday I find I am spent very quickly. It’s not terrible, just leaves me grumpy, unmotivated, and unable to follow through with plans. This part of my roller-coaster isn’t the big dipper. It’s more like one of those super fast ones that throws you from side to side whilst nipping under a bridge that you think it’s going to smash into. There’s no dramatic highs and lows, but still even a scream can’t escape.

How diet can ease the roller-coaster ride of brain injury.

We all know you are what you eat. I’ll be the first to admit that whilst I would love to say I treat my body like a temple, I don’t. I comfort eat particularly when I’m feeling like a turd. But I’m going about this the wrong way. Any form of injury means your body needs extra nutrition to be able to heal. Brain injury often means you struggle to use nutrients as effectively as you did before, so you need even more of them. So I’m going to be putting extra effort into giving myself some TLC.

10 foods which help power up your brain.

Turmeric – It has been identified as having the ability to stimulate new brain cell generation in some cases. Also it may lessen the development of plaque in the brain, the common cause of Alzheimer’s.
Cashews – Full of nutritional yeast, it helps top up your vitamin B6 and B12. Both of these are linked to memory and overall brain health. Vitamin B is also important for fighting depression so might ease my grumpiness.
Eggs – A particular type of vitamin B called Choline can be found in eggs. It’s important for cell membranes, and especially brain cells.
Dark chocolate – Those with high cocoa content are loaded with antioxidants. These can help boost your memory and overall cognitive skills.
Celery – Anyone who struggles to park the car should be eating it as it contains antioxidants which aid spatial awareness. It also reduces inflammation and improves memory and the ability to learn.
Rosemary – Another one for spacial awareness. (If parking the car is still stressing you out, it will helps lower stress too.)
Spinach – It can protect against free radicals and inflammation. (I admit I don’t really understand what free radicals are, but I know they’re not good.) Often those who struggle cognitively are deficient in an antioxidant called Lutein. It helps with learning and memory. You guessed it, spinach is packed with it. Pop-eye might eat it for muscles, but it also helps him remember what he’s doing and learn from his adventures.
Salmon – Packed with omega -3 which I think we all know is generally good for the brain.
Avocado – Full of mono-saturated fats, it aids absorption of other nutrients. But also it is a great source of vitamin E which is important for cognitive function.
Yogurt – We are coming round to the idea that the gut and brain have more affect on each other than we previously recognised. So as yogurt has probiotics to support your gut, it can support your mental health. (Grumpy me needs to try to get some more of this in to my diet.) If natural yogurt is a bit too bland for you, try adding one of these delicious sauces from Dessert Parlour and put it in the freezer to make a yummy frozen yogurt dessert.

I’m not suggesting that by changing your diet everything will be fine. But even if it just helps a bit, it’s worth trying to have more of the good stuff. For more ideas on what nutrition will help your brain injury Brain Fog: Causes, Symptoms, Solutions is a pretty comprehensive article.

This post is sponsored by Showtime Photo Booth Ltd. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.

What have you found makes the roller-coaster of life post brain injury easier to handle?

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Medias responsibility on expectations of brain injury survivors.

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 14:42:59 +0000

It is truly amazing what the human body can do. We all see how incredible computers are and how they have changed the world we live in, and yet they are still not a patch on what we carry inside our own skulls. It is estimated that the human brain is still 30 times faster than the most advanced computers. I’m sure the gap is closing, but scientists have a long way to go. It’s a tall order when we still don’t understand much about the brain at all really. So why does the media rate some brain injury survivors recovery as “miraculous” when they don’t understand what is happening?

How media is raising expectations and putting pressure on brain injury survivors.

Every strong brain injury recovery should be celebrated. But it’s not just luck that got the individual to that point. It’s hard work from the individual, their family and a team of skilled medics behind them. So I think the media need to be more careful with their language, as not all of us are given access to the same tools.

One example is a story the Daily Mail called a miracle recovery. Sam Schmid had an awful accident, spent 2 months in a coma and was close to having his life support turned off. But he held up two fingers, showing he was still there and his medical team commenced the next stage of his recovery. 2 years on, he left rehab, went back to playing basketball, and started college.

I’m delighted for Sam, and it does give hope to others. But I worry that those who have no prior experience of brain injury would hold this as a benchmark. As every injury is different, putting these expectations on survivors can be unhelpful.

Diagnosis and rehab facilities aren’t the same across the board.

Sam was in rehab for 2 whole years, and he deserved the support he received. But many of us don’t even have our brain injury diagnosed properly as the MRI scans don’t always offer enough detail. But even when they do recognise the injury, there isn’t always rehab facilities available, or even discussed.

After I left hospital, just 10 days after my accident, I was offered nothing. My partner James had to fight for me to be offered some support from an OT, to make me more able to cope at home. And I had to ask my GP to keep referring me to specialists to deal with individual symptoms. But there was no overall package in place for me, no cohesive approach. If I was held to the expectations the wording in this article creates, I probably wouldn’t be considered remarkable. I am not employed, study nor am able to participate it contact sports.

High expectations are not fair on survivors or their families.

Whilst I had to give up my job, I do not consider myself a failure….. anymore. To begin with I thought that was the benchmark by which to measure my success. And so for a long time that dragged me down, a lot. But now, I see my life wasn’t ruined just headed in a different direction.

I think it’s important that the public understand that if someone’s recovery isn’t a “miracle”, it’s not due to the survivors lack of effort. Believe me, survivors want to get things back to how they were more than anyone. But without the right guidance that is very difficult, maybe even impossible even with it. And in reality not everything can be the same again. We might get close, but some things will be altered. Maybe better, maybe worse.

I wish everyone the best in their recovery, and I love to hear good news stories. Just lets remember that medics aren’t mechanics, and our brains are not machines. Therefore the restoration process has many more variables.

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Do you think peoples expectations of brain injury recovery has been tainted by the media? What would you like others to know about your day-to-day life post brain injury?

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Brain injury survivor explains why people have depression wrong

Michelle #jumbledbrain — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 16:14:40 +0000

As someone who has faced depression and anxiety, I’m always drawn to articles where people talk about them. I mostly find them on Pinterest as it’s full of great work. But as well as blogs, there are images of quotes or thought provoking sayings. And it’s one of the most commonly used ones that I take issue with. Not because I’m a brain injury survivor, just as someone who as struggled with these demons.

Have these people ever really experienced depression and anxiety?

Depression is when you don’t really care about anything. Anxiety is when you care about everything too much. And having both is just like hell.

What are they talking about? If I didn’t care about something it wouldn’t make me feel anything, let alone depression. It is born out of shame and guilt, two of the most self destructive emotions.

Yes I understand that a sufferer may not care as much about how clean their home is for example. But that happens because when depression is making you question your self-worth. It makes the washing up pale into insignificance.

Anxiety is about over analysing things because you want to stop negative things from happening. It’s about fear, not a measurement of how much you care. Following my brain injury anxiety became a big thing for me, as I would immediately go to worst case scenario. It’s your brain trying to keep you alert and avoid danger. Unfortunately it means you see danger in situations when it’s not necessary.

You can’t put these powerful states of emotion in 3 sentences.

It makes me annoyed that these people think they are being clever, minimising mental illness this way. I’m all for raising awareness, and having a starting point for creating a discussion. But at least get it right.

I was depressed because I didn’t see that I was good enough anymore. My brain injury had stolen many of my skills and I couldn’t see what I had to offer. So many times I offered to my partner James, that I move out and go look after my Dad. I said it because I loved James so much, I was prepared to let him go and find a way to be happy without me being a heavy burden. It most certainly wasn’t because I didn’t care. For me, I was offering self sacrifice to protect the person I loved.

In fact that would have put me straight in the path of anxiety, which I knew. My Dad was struggling with Alzheimer’s, but still wanted to be in control, as a Dad should be. But how do you guild someone who thinks they are the leader of the pack? And the responsibility of someone else’s life when you have only just sustained a serious brain injury yourself, is just too great. Why would I offer to put myself in an overwhelming situation if I didn’t give two hoots?

Mental health is a journey, there’s highs and lows, but we keep going because we care.

Despite how my brain injury made me question myself, I knew I had to move forward for both James and my Dad. All they wanted was for me to be happy again. It took time, but I got there. But I also know happiness isn’t a remote island where depression can’t get you. It’s like a Vulture, just watching and waiting for it’s chance. Just as well I like Vultures then, seeing as it’s going to be a companion for the rest of this trip.

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What do you think of depression and anxiety being described this way? Or does having a brain injury make a difference?

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