After a traumatic brain injury (TBI), it’s possible that someone may seem to have a different personality. It depends on the severity of the injury and the area of the brain that was affected, but there can be significant changes that may even make family members feel like they don’t really know the person any longer.
For instance, family members will often mention things like increased irritability, sensitivity, aggression, depression or other such changes. Someone who was always calm and relaxed before may seem like they are always on edge or that they are irritable enough that everyone is walking on eggshells around them.
Significant mental and physical changes
Some of this may have to do with other challenges the person is facing. For instance, maybe they are having excessive sensitivity to lights and sounds. If so, even a relatively calm social gathering could feel overwhelming and overstimulating. This could be the true reason that they are so irritable. Their brain is no longer able to deal with a level of stimulus that it could before.
Additionally, the brain will try to find new neural pathways to fix skills that were lost, but this isn’t always possible. A person may struggle with their memory or their critical thinking skills. They may have trouble with fine motor skills, balance, or even find it difficult to walk. All of these very real changes in the way that they function on a day-to-day basis can make them feel far different than they were before the injury – even after all physical healing has taken place.
As you can see, brain injuries can have a complex and sometimes confusing impact on a person’s life. Those who have been injured may need to seek financial compensation for medical bills, the cost of rehabilitation, lost wages and more. The personal injury attorneys at Suisman Shapiro can help.
