There are many different types of brain injuries, but certain behavioral difficulties are common regardless of the type of brain injury that occurs. Different problematic behaviors might be more or less likely depending on the location and severity of the trauma, but your loved one might demonstrate one or more of these behaviors during TBI recovery, regardless of the specifics of the injury.
The first step in managing inappropriate behavior in a loved one with a brain-injury is to know what those behaviors are so that you can recognize them – not taking them personally, assisting when possible, and intervening when necessary. Recognizing the behavior as a symptom of the injury can help inform your decision about the best course of action to keep yourself, your loved one, and the people in your life both physically and emotionally safe.
Appropriate Emotional Response – Your loved one might not demonstrate emotional responses to stimuli that triggered those very responses prior to the brain injury. He or she might not laugh when something is funny, smile when seeing something beautiful, or cry when something is sad. The response might also be contextually inappropriate, not matching the current state. For example, he or she might laugh when sad or cry for no particular reason.
Personality Change – Everyone experiences personality changes as they progress through life, but adults with brain injury can experience extreme, abrupt personality changes that can be disorienting to the people that know and love them.
Poor Concentration – After a traumatic brain injury, a person may become easily distracted, have difficulty with managing multiple tasks at one time, lose track of a conversation or experience information overload.
Emotional Volatility – Emotional volatility, also called emotional lability, is a rapid, frequently exaggerated mood swing that is frequently extreme and might come across as an overreaction.
Aggression – Aggressive behavior after brain injury is very common. Understanding what triggers an aggressive response for your loved one can help in avoiding the behavior.
Sexual Inappropriateness – A person with a traumatic brain injury might have an increased interest in sex, a decreased interest in sex, or a lack of understanding about the contextual appropriateness of a sexual expression or behavior.
Empathy Issues – After a brain injury, your loved one might suddenly seem very self-centered. For example, he or she might demand rather than ask politely, or say things that hurt your feelings or are unreasonable without seeming to care. The lack of empathy is not a lack of love. It is an injury-related difficulty caused by issues with abstract thinking skills.
Memory Problems – Memory difficulties are often the first thing the general public thinks of when a person experiences a brain injury. Short-term memory problems or amnesia can occur, but, surprisingly, the retention of new information is the most common memory-related behavioral issue loved ones will likely experience as a result of brain trauma.
Denial – It is not uncommon for people with traumatic brain injuries to adamantly insist that they are not symptomatic. Sometimes this is due to the actual brain injury, but it also can be basic denial unconsciously implemented as a coping mechanism to delay the confrontation of fear and/or uncertainty about how to navigate the realities of life after trauma.
If you know what potential behaviors are common across traumatic brain injuries, you can recognize them as they come up and see them for what they are – a symptom of the injury. They are not a reflection of the person’s opinion or emotional investment in you.
If you have a loved one with a brain injury and need help navigating any of these difficult behaviors, either at home or in a care facility, Compassionate Care Home Health Services can help. Contact us to schedule your free care consultation at 877.308.1212 and to learn more about our elder care in Saginaw, MI and the surrounding areas. For a full list of all of the communities where we provide care, please visit our Locations page.