Brain injury can be a devastating disability, and given the brain’s complexity and the differences in the types, locations, and extent of damage, the effects of a brain injury can be wide and varied. Some occur immediately, and some may take days or even years to appear.

The most common after effects of undiagnosed concussion and head trauma are memory issues, drug and alcohol dependency, anger outbursts family violence,road rage and criminality. Any one of the symptoms can alter or devastate a person’s life, and brain injury is made all the more difficult by the fact that it’s often hard to see and just as often misdiagnosed or dismissed as “personality problems” or a perceived mental disorder. But in fact, it is a serious and legitimate illness where sufferers deserve all the help and support they can get.

© BiC 2019

Brain injury has several primary causes, including physical trauma, stroke or brain bleed, drug or alcohol abuse, poisoning, tumor and suffocation. It can also be attributed to diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s or Multiple Sclerosis. A brain injury can be the result of either an open or closed injury to the head. Primary causes can lead to many secondary complications, such as bleeding, blood clots, increased intracranial pressure, oxygen starvation, swelling, and epilepsy.

Long-term effects of brain injury vary from person to person. Victims of a brain injury may experience long term effects like medical difficulties, impaired physical and sensory abilities, and changes in cognition, behavior, personality and communication. 

© 2012 - 2019 Brain Injury Centre

Not all brain injuries lead to changes in perception or thought processes, but those that do can be a source of great frustration for the sufferer. Brain injuries can affect one’s capacity to learn, work, and interact with others. 

People with brain injury often find it difficult to recognize or accept that their cognition has changed. This is why it’s important to explain patiently, clearly, and as often as necessary why they’re being treated or why they can no longer perform certain tasks. This can be extremely frustrating for the sufferer, who may not believe or listen to you. If this occurs, try talking about something else. Reasoning may not be possible and arguing will only upset you both. In time, the person will learn to adapt.

© 2012 - 2019 Brain Injury Centre