When Brain Damage Changes A Loved One

When brain damage changes a loved one rather than taking the person away from you, you are living in one of life’s greatest paradoxes. Your loved one has not physically disappeared, but is no longer the same. The person has changed. And it is not only because of the physical disability that sometimes comes with brain damage, but also personality changes.

How can one explain that a close relative has become a stranger? That the person is no longer the same person? That his way of being has changed color. Maybe the social butterfly is now apathetic and enclosed. There are some of us who recognize the person, but another who does not.

Your husband, father or brother was once very respectful and educated. But as a result of brain damage, he is no longer.

His brain has “turned off” the switch that regulates social norms. He no longer has any social filters. There is no self-control and anyone who does not know he is hurt will just think he is rude.

Often, people with brain damage are not as aware of the effects as their family members. Brain damage sometimes looks like this. It seems to be a defense mechanism that protects them from feeling the full weight of what happened.

In fact, this mechanism actually exists. It is a pathological condition in people who have suffered a brain injury and have neurological (cognitive) problems, but are not aware of the problems they cause.

This clinical phenomenon is called “anosognosia”. This refers to those who have no idea about their functional neurological deficiencies.

In other words , they are in a way unable to fully grasp the consequences of the injury, whether they are cognitive, physical or behavioral. Often they are not aware of their problems and can get explosive reactions.

There are cases of people suffering from brain damage who can no longer walk, but who accuse others of not letting them do things themselves. They may have difficulty recognizing what happened and how it affects them.

All this creates feelings of powerlessness and frustration in the family. The only thing worse than the fact that he is not the same anymore is that he does not realize it himself. The change is difficult for the people around him.

Imagine that someone close to you suddenly ceases to be the person you have known all your life. Her way of being and going through life has changed. This is one of the most difficult things the family of a patient with a brain injury has to go through.

There will be changes in family dynamics. The puzzle collapses, the pieces fly away. Now is the time to adjust our perspective and bring order to the sudden chaos. Troublesome emotions will bubble up, such as envy, despair, uncertainty… guilt.

You will feel many things, because it is a loss after all.

That is why it is so important to emphasize that brain damage will change the lives of everyone involved. It is important to share your mixed feelings so that you can help your loved one handle the experience better. To change places on the pieces of life and give them new meaning.

It is an exercise in courage and admirable wisdom. Finally, we would like to express our full support for families affected by brain damage.