How to Help People Who Have Trouble Coping with Their Brain Injury

How to Help People Who Have Trouble Coping with Their Brain Injury

A brief summary of current research.

Alexithymia and Avoidance Coping Following Traumatic Brain Injury

Wood, R and Doughty, C Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation: Vol. 28 (2), pp 98–105.

Individuals who have difficulty coping after traumatic brain injury also usually experience trouble expressing how they feel. This increases their risk of suffering psychological distress. Difficulties expressing emotion and identifying feelings are features of alexithymia, which is common following TBI.

In this study, participants with TBI had significantly higher rates of alexithymia than those without brain injuries. Those with alexithymia also had higher rates of psychological distress and lower levels of task-oriented coping when compared to people with TBI, but without alexithymia.

Early screening for alexithymia after TBI can help to identify individuals who are most at risk, and allow health care providers to develop treatment plans to reduce psychological distress.

Find out more.

Posted on BrainLine May 22, 2013.

Comments (2)

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Sorry for your loss (es). I'm a TBI (several) survivor, but not as severe like you. I pray you will find peace with God.

Exactly. Finally someone sees me. I am invisible to the family I raised. Four children, nearly on my own while my dear husband worked long, endless hours away. I kept home, yards, 4 children and my business, a Martial Arts School. I was testing for my4th Degree Black Belt. Sent home from hospital after the doctor said my head pain was a migraine, I begged him to help me, I knew it was more. That night, an abscess burst in the center of my brain. That was 10 years ago. I am now a grandmother with Severe TBI with complicated results. I was given a 2-5 percent chance of survival. Outcome dismal. As a concert violinist, an instructor and World Champion Competitor - my life came to an end as I knew it. I had to begin once again. Blind, unable to speak or understand with limbs that no longer worked. It was a trip through hell. Today, 10 years later, our entire family is effected and I am alone in a world of fear. We should have sued the hospital, I begged them for help yet they insisted it was a migraine, with no x-rays. We are not the type to sue, however they stole our life from us and today I lie here in pain, waiting for relief or death. This is a travisity that should never have happened. We had insurance and cash so there was absolutely no reason for this tragedy. Since then, the hospital has been shut down, don't you wonder why? We probably should have sued. I have anger issues sure, wouldn't you? Mostly I'm sad, depressed and lonely. SEVERE TBI is not something to live for...