How Can TBI Affect Marriage?

On April 24, 2009, BrainLine had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Kreutzer and Dr. Stejskal to talk about their work with people with traumatic brain injury and their families.

Posted on BrainLine May 27, 2009.
Produced by Victoria Tilney McDonough and Brian King.

Comments (3)

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Ok about a yr ago my son got into a altercation with dad hit him in the top of the head with a trailer jack handle and they have had a few other scuffles he also fell twice at work one was 10 ft down to concrete but the guys swears he didn't hit his head we had omicron variant in January and soon after my husband started accusing my sister of stealing from us I never seen nothing they fought and fought verbally my other son and I defended her so then we all 3 had a secret and it didn't include my husband. So after she left he woke up one night or morning can't remember which but I was eating a bowl of serial we stay in a fifth wheel cause we downsized as kids was supposed to have moved out on their own anyway he ran down the stairs and screamed in my face why am I letting them play with me. I was mortified I didn't know what the hell he was talking about. So now he constantly sees someone or something under the covers under my clothes touching me it has turned out lives upside down. In the first month of this I left a couple times and he left once. We have been married 23 yrs and shortly before all this his dad died then his mom. He wanted me to go with him to the funeral states away I got the money for him to go but it was snow and Ice all the way I told him no I will stay behind with the kids. I didn't know till later he held a grudge against me for a yr or so he says. For not supporting him when he needed it. But I did!!! I can't make him see that. Is that how this delusion or hallucination came about. Please we finally went to mental health place and they oh bi-polar they did a cat scan but a nurse practitioner and a couple of nurses looked at it. I think they missed something and I can't find no help. They have him on risperidone 1 mg twice a day and 50 mg trazadone at night. All I see it's done is control the little twitches in his hands legs and feet he has as he is falling asleep and that's when he takes it. It's a constant delusion of me being touched and paranoia to go along with it. It all happened overnight. I cry and cry and cry cause of the accusations. But I feel bad for him too, after a so called episode wich is basically all the time now except for little windows. He apologizes for making me cry he says I believe u when u say it ain't real or there but he also believes his eyes. He has also had shingles in his eye a few yrs ago and is worrying about the eye test and his cdl's. These ppl don't live with him he has all the signs of delusional jealousy but he will even tell u we never had a jealous bone in our body. We need help or someone else to look at the cat scan.

Thanks for the great video. I got a TBI a few years ago, and since then, my marriage has been FUBAR. I am trying to be a good husband/provider, but it’s extremely difficult. My wife informed me a few nights ago that we would no longer be having sex. Isn’t that one of the main reasons for getting married in the first place?

That, and a million other things,cause me to think divorce is in our future. I have been working extra hard (housecleaning, mowing the yard, babysitting,etc.) to prevent that from happening, but only time will tell if we are still married in a few years.

Best of luck to you. Divorce is not the answer. I am still very much involved with my ex husband with TBI/PTSD AND other things. I would encourage you to both be patient and if you can live separately it would be the safest option for her. I sympathize with what you are going through and hope you get better. The main thing, especially when children are involved, don't discredit your spouse's efforts when she is also trying to hold the family up. As women, we are committed to helping our spouses and sometimes sacrifices go unnoticed. It's WE, never I. Your in it together. What you feel is not fair is different, but you both married to make it last. You will get better just remember she is not a doctor and she is trying with you. Patience will be your best friends, don't give up.