Can Brain Injuries Impact Your Mental Health?

woman with traumatic brain injury

Any injury should be taken very seriously, but brain injuries especially so. Brain injuries, commonly known as traumatic brain injuries or TBI, can result in serious changes not only to your brain itself but to your personality as well. 

While such changes may be temporary, others may be permanent. The impact of a TBI on your mental health is dependent upon a few different factors: the severity of the injury, the location of the injury in the brain, and the mental health of the individual prior to the injury. These three factors all influence how a TBI will impact an individual’s emotions. 

Types of Emotional Changes

One of the biggest changes to someone who suffers a brain injury is mood swings, which can be very serious and oftentimes uncontrollable. An individual’s mood may shift to any of the following at any time: anger; sadness; aggression; happiness.

Regardless of the severity of your brain injury, you may still experience disturbing changes to your mental health. This is caused by:

  • Post-injury dysfunction with how the brain communicates;
  • Post-injury stress on your autonomic nervous system; and
  • The natural reaction that your brain has to both physical and emotional trauma.

When your brain experiences a disruption between your neurons and the blood vessels that provide them with proper nutrients when needed (neurovascular coupling), you can experience issues within your brain. Your brain injury need not be severe for this to occur. 

Issues with Neurovascular Coupling

When you experience issues with your neurovascular coupling, you may end up with areas of your brain that aren’t doing enough and those regions that are doing more than their share of the work but then require more resources (hypoactive brain regions, and hyperactive brain regions, respectively). In other words, even if the structure of your brain remains intact, it is not indicative of proper function. 

If you suffered from mental illness prior to your brain injury, it’s likely that it will become worse afterwards. You may also experience new symptoms that you didn’t have before, such as:

  • Anxiety;
  • Depression;
  • Anger;
  • Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); and
  • Mood swings.

Don’t Hesitate to Seek Help

When this occurs, one of the best things that you can do to help yourself is to seek counseling from a mental health professional who has experience working with people like you. The sooner you get help after an injury, the better your odds of overcoming these issues much quicker. Unfortunately, these emotional issues may continue for some time after the occurrence of the brain injury. In such a case, you may want to seek additional help. 

If you are experiencing mental health issues after a brain injury, it’s important to understand that you are not alone and it is not your fault. It is in your best interest to seek the right medical care. If your brain injury was the result of someone else’s negligence or recklessness, you shouldn’t have to pay these costs. You may have a case for a personal injury claim, in which case you may receive compensation. 

MPJ Law Firm Can Help Those in NM Who Have Suffered a Brain Injury Due to Someone Else’s Negligence

If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, it can greatly impact your life. It can be difficult enough dealing with your injuries, but it can be even harder when you are left to pick up the pieces financially. You should never have to pay the price for someone else’s mistakes. 

At MPJ Law Firm, we have a deep understanding of brain injuries and understand the effects that these injuries can have on just about all aspects of your life. We will always act in your best interest. To learn more or to schedule a free consultation, contact us today!

Posted in: Brain Injuries