Lack of Emotion After Brain Injury

When somebody has a traumatic brain injury (TBI), their normal feelings may change. Basically, when someone gets a brain injury, it will affect their brain, including their thinking, but it does not just stop there. The same goes for your emotions. It is normal to change your mind and feelings. The same as a broken bone requires time to heal, so does your brain need to heal itself following a trauma.

Your brain, to put it simply, is the command centre of your body. It is responsible for all your thought processes and controls your actions as well as your emotions. Consequently, if it malfunctions, you will experience difficulties, and things will feel very different, especially emotionally. You might observe that yourself or someone you love:

• Complains more often than he used to be
• Gets worried about things that never bothered you before
• Feels depressed or down most of the time
• Responds differently to situations

These emotional ups and down times are quite common, but it might be a little bit confusing and challenging for families and friends. However, the good news is that there are a lot of ways to cope with these changes that will make it easier.

What is Anxiety After Brain Injury?

Anxiety is a condition in which a person feels extreme worry or fear. A person who has a brain injury may suffer from anxiety frequently as well. In such a case, you can notice the following:

• A person has problems with breathing 
• Breathing very quickly
• Sweating
• Shaky hands
• Digestive issues

Example: Image anxiety, as when you are sitting in the examination hall, and you feel like you are going to fail. Besides, your heart races quickly, and your hands are moist. A person with a brain injury may experience a stimulation like this in places where they have never experienced or being in a crowded store or when their plans change suddenly.

What is Depression After Brain Injury?

Depressed people tend to have a really low feeling, and sometimes they even feel hopeless. The most common symptoms of depression include:

• Feeling sad almost all of the time
• Lack of energy
• Don't skip meals or eat too much.
• Sleeping problems
• A lack of interest in things that were previously cared about most

Example: Just as when you are sick of flu and are very tired and do not want to do any activities, depression causes people to develop these feelings towards life. People who loved playing a guitar before may not think of touching their instrument again.

Why Do Emotions Change After Brain Injury?

The change in emotions is a result of the injury to the brain, which has several reasons:

Brain Damage:

A part of your brain controls your emotions. When certain parts of your brain are affected and damaged, your emotions will either change or not be expressed in the usual way. This results in the patient experiencing emotional changes, which can be similar to a normal person who is calm or unable to remember things properly. In this way, faulty "programs" (emotions) can cause a person to struggle with specific tasks.

Example: The brain can be compared to a computer. How do you think a computer would respond if its programs were corrupted? Similarly, if parts of the brain are damaged, the programs (emotions) will not function as before.

Changes in Life:

Many things in life can change after a brain injury. You may not be able to do the same activities or perhaps the same job as before, which can be very frustrating.

Example: Imagine if you severely injured your leg and couldn't play your favorite sport. You would feel sad and disappointed at losing something important to you.

Difficulties with Thinking:

Brain injuries can prevent someone from remembering, concentrating, or thinking quickly, which can be quite confusing and distressing.

Example: In such cases, a person's attention and memory depend on the situation. However, the frustration of not being able to do so during a conversation can confuse and disorient a person, leading them to become angry due to their inability to complete their thoughts.

How to Help with Emotional Problems?

Get Professional Help

Emotional problems after a brain injury are not a sign of weakness. This is a condition that requires medical help from a mental health expert, such as a board-certified psychiatrist.

• Medicine: Just like one can solve high blood pressure with the help of different medications, the same medications can help solve anxiety and depression
• Counseling: It is like talking to a therapist who teaches you different ways of dealing with tough emotions, like how a coach would teach you new plays to run.

Furthermore, to get accurate diagnoses and develop appropriate treatment plans for brain injury effects, you can seek help from a neurologist near me who is an expert in brain health.

Reduce Stress:

Anxiety is one usual emotional issue. Know that stress can increase emotional problems. You can reduce stress by doing the following:

• Take deep breaths (imagining that you are slowly blowing up a balloon)
• Relax your muscles (like a cat stretching)
• Take breaks if you feel like you are overwhelmed

Stay Active:

A daily exercise and activity program is the best way to boost feelings of happiness, health, and well-being.

Example: Just as insulin is essential for managing diabetes, people with brain injuries also need a strict daily schedule, not only to feel better but ultimately to manage their emotions.

Seek immediate help:

Do not hesitate to seek medical care who is specialized mental health conditions, such as depression treatment. The sooner you receive treatment, the sooner you will find relief from your symptoms.

Important: If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, seek help immediately. Dial 911 or take the person to the nearest emergency room right away.

How Families Can Help?

Remember, it's not their fault. Emotional changes after a brain injury are side effects of the injury, but not the fault of the injured person, who just decides to be difficult.

Stay Calm: Be patient when the person is getting upset because of the brain injury. Calmness kills the anger. Don't argue with them.

Give Them Space: Sometimes, when the emotions become overwhelmingly strong, the person needs a quiet place to sit still for a while.

Listen and Support: Allow the person to tell you about their emotions. Clear the feeling that they might not understand what kind of emotions they are going through.

Finding Extra Support: You do not need to cope with the changes alone. Many resources are available to you, such as support groups (someone who has experience in living with a brain injury), or Friends and Family (think about the people who love you).

The Takeaway

Emotional changes after a brain injury are a very common and usual thing. Just like how a cut or a broken bone on your body needs some time to heal, the same way your brain does too. Remember that with the right support and care, recovery is possible. You should be patient and have faith that the condition can be treated with the appropriate therapy. One of the most crucial things is to ask for help and not to act as if you are the only one who will take care of everything.