The sad reality is that brain injuries carry the potential to affect every aspect of your life. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t lead a happy and comfortable life once you learn to adapt to your new circumstances. 

According to research, almost half of brain injuries and traumatic brain injuries occur through falls or traffic accidents, but other causes can be the result of attacks or via other modes of transportation like bicycles. 

(Image: PATE Rehabilitation)

Brain injuries can affect individuals in different ways and usually results in a change of the brain’s neuronal activity. There are two key forms of brain injury: traumatic and acquired. 

Traumatic brain injuries are caused by an external factor like a bump, blow or jolt to the head that’s significant enough to disrupt how the brain functions. Traumatic brain injuries can be both closed (where no penetrating cuts or openings are made) or open. Traumatic injuries can come in mild forms like concussion, or they can be very severe. 

Acquired brain injuries are caused by internal factors, like a lack of oxygen, for example. 

The effects of brain injuries can be widespread and may leave individuals with an altered or diminished level of consciousness. It could also impair the cognitive functions of people or leave them struggling to move some or all parts of their body. Such impairments can be temporary or permanent and could cause partial or total disability in individuals. 

Although sustaining a brain injury can have a significant effect on your life, it doesn’t have to stop you from doing the things you enjoy or fracture your relationships with friends and family. MedicAlert provides peace of mind, knowing that your medical information is always to hand, so that you do not have to relinquish your quality of life due to your circumstances.

Let’s take a deeper look into how you can continue to live your life, carry on doing the things you love, and continue building your relationships with loved ones following a brain injury.

Accepting the situation

If you’re feeling negative emotions following a brain injury, you’re not alone. Half of all survivors experience some form of depression within a year of their injury taking place. 

These negative feelings can also develop as the individual begins to fully understand the impact of their injury, which can lead to feelings of hopelessness and a loss of self-esteem as the survivor begins to figure out the changes that they may be facing, and how the future could be affected by these setbacks. 

Coming to terms with a brain injury can be a very difficult thing. After all, you may look the same and sound the same, but your functions could be impaired because of a traumatic injury. However, actively working to accept that your life is going to be different, whilst being kind to yourself and not trying to ‘snap back’, can help you to find the clarity that you’ll need to adapt to your new circumstances. 

(Image: Traumatic Brain Injuries Guide)

It’s important to remember that you’re never alone. In fact, as many as one million UK citizens attend hospital each year following a brain injury, of which 135,000 are admitted. It may be helpful to connect with local support groups, who will be able to offer practical support as well as understanding of you concerns, struggles and outlook.

When a brain injury occurs, it can change how you process different occurrences. If the way in which you sustained your injury was particularly traumatic, you might have developed some form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it - talk to your GP, consultant or support group for advice on who can support you during this process.

The importance of safe spaces

Following a brain injury, many people find it extremely helpful to set up some form of safe space to retreat to and to unwind or relax. Sensory overloads can lead to stress, fatigue, anxiety and anger. 

If you feel overwhelmed by your injury or thinking about its ramifications, choose a quiet place where you can do relaxing activities like watch TV, listen to music, tackle puzzles or play computer games. 

When visiting friends or family, it could also be worth asking if they can allocate a safe space for you to use if you begin to feel overwhelmed. You may even create a codeword to alert loved ones in social environments. 

If you become overwhelmed whilst out in public, it can then be hard to communicate your needs as stress may lead to forgetting what you want to say or struggling to verbalise efficiently. Carrying your MedicAlert Wallet Card and wearing your medical ID will allow those around you to understand your needs quickly and efficiently, removing this worry from you and allowing you to remain as active and independent as possible.  

Should the worst occur when you’re on-the-go, your MedicAlert medical ID jewellery will also help emergency services to quickly identify your condition and provide you with the right treatment for your needs. They can also call our 24/7 worldwide helpline to access your full record and scanned medical documents.  

Learning to adapt

Learning how best to adapt to your new life following a brain injury is the biggest step you can take in regaining confidence. 

Keep a diary 

One of the most important adaptations to make is to learn your triggers. Take some time to think about what contributes to the stresses that you feel. Spotting your triggers can help you to anticipate issues and pre-empt them with solutions specific to your requirements.

One action you could take is to keep a stress diary and log each time you feel as though your stress levels are rising as you complete your daily activities. You’ll likely soon spot patterns and work out what daily tasks need to be tweaked.

Using labels

Another great adaptation that you can make is to use labels to your advantage. If your injury has affected your ability to remember certain things or caused you to become muddled up sometimes, using a system of labels can help you to locate important items around the house. You can also label drawers, cupboard doors and light switches to ensure that you avoid becoming overwhelmed thinking about where everything is. 

Sharing calendars

The great thing about cloud computing is that you can share a lot more information with those around you than ever before - even if you don’t live under the same roof. 

If you use a mobile calendar, it could be worth sharing it with somebody who you’re close to or someone who cares for you. This means that you can have somebody helping you to keep track of your schedule, adding appointments and meetings, and making sure that you’re as well-connected with your old responsibilities as possible. 

(Image: iMore)

To share a calendar on iPhone, access your calendar and click on Calendars (at the bottom of the screen) > Edit > Add Person…

Alternatively, online platforms like Cozi can be great for sharing calendars and helping you to make sure that you’re well looked after if you happen to find yourself in a muddle when it comes to planning your days and events. 

Wear a medical ID 

You’re likely going to feel nervous about regaining independence - your loved ones are more than likely feeling this same anxiety. 

Wearing a medical ID provides peace of mind, knowing that should you have an accident or a medical emergency, your details including medications and history are all to hand. MedicAlert is the original medical ID provider in the UK, the only charity, is NHS recommended and has been protecting those with medical conditions for over 56 years. 

Our Registered Nurses check your record when it is created, whilst our document storage services mean that your personal files are available wherever you are. You can even nominate a loved one to help you manage your medical record, so you know it is always up to date.

Finding support

For some of us, it can be very difficult to ask for help when we’re struggling. Reach out to local support groups and, if necessary, talk to your doctor about therapy to help you come to terms with the changes you’re experiencing. 

It could be worth getting in touch with brain injury charities like Headway - another NHS recommended service - to talk more about your life with a head injury.  

Connecting with loved ones

One of the hardest parts of living with a brain injury is re-connecting with friends and family following your illness. The trauma suffered can change the way your brain works, the way it remembers things and how you recognise the people around you. 

Because your injury may have affected how you work things out, it may seem harder to connect with loved ones or recapture how you felt around them before. However, it’s important to remember that while you come to terms with your trauma, they will be learning to adapt themselves and, while it may be an upsetting experience if they are treating you differently to before, try to remember that they are doing their best and trying to protect you. 

Educating your loved ones

One of the best ways to help you to accept your condition, engage your mind and help your loved ones is to set it upon yourself to educate your family and friends on your brain injury. 

It can be hard for your family and friends to understand the changes that can take place after an injury happens - especially when it’s an invisible illness like a brain injury. By preparing for those difficult conversations and talking about your need for space, privacy or an organised support network, you can take key steps in not only preparing your loved ones for what to expect in the immediate future but also help them to better adapt to your new wants and needs. 

Life with a brain injury can be very difficult for yourself and your loved ones. But it’s vital to remember that you’ll always have help on-hand. Whether it’s friends, family or a professional, there’s a happy and prosperous life just around the corner. And, with MedicAlert keeping you safe, you’ll be ready to live life to the fullest again!

Find out more on how MedicAlert can help you to live better following a brain injury:

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