One of the hardest things for family members to come to grips with after a brain injury is that their loved one just doesn’t seem like the same person anymore. He or she may struggle to control strong emotions. Every day may feel like a roller coaster.
In some cases, there will be a sudden outbursts. A person may suddenly become very angry or start crying out of the blue. Family members will be concerned, and they’ll try to look at their own actions to see what they did to cause the episode.
The reality, though, is that they may have done nothing at all. The person’s moods and even his or her very personality may simply be different. These mood swings may come out of nowhere, with no trigger.
A lot of the time, the person with the injury isn’t even actively in control of what’s happening, and he or she may not feel the way that the outburst indicates. For example, the person could start sobbing and not be able to stop, but, when asked, he or she will truthfully claim not to be sad.
To those without brain injuries, this behavior often makes little sense and can cause a lot of stress and anxiety. That’s why it’s so important to know how common this is and to be prepared to deal with it.
It’s also important to know what types of treatments, medications and rehab sessions may help. If the brain injury was caused by someone else — or by negligence on someone else’s behalf — then the injured person may be able to seek financial compensation to get the help that is necessary.
Source: Brainline, “Emotional Problems After Traumatic Brain Injury,” Tessa Hart, accessed Oct. 15, 2016