Can a TBI change your personality?

A traumatic brain injury may completely change the future you envisioned for your life. Learning to cope with the changes you experience as a result of your injury may take time and patience.

Due to the central role that your brain plays in the function of your body, a TBI can affect lots of processes. You may notice behavioral changes, emotional changes and even personality changes.

Acknowledging the changes

As you begin your recovery, try to maintain a realistic perspective of your situation. Expect to see changes in your psychological processes. Preparing to acknowledge these changes may ease your acceptance of them. Some of the personality changes you may notice include the following:

• • Changes in your interests
  • Increased irritability
  • Anxiety and depression

• Difficulty maintaining relationships
• Fear of change
• Physical outbursts

Optimizing your recovery

When you can articulate the changes you have noticed, you can collaborate with health care professionals to target your recovery. Your family can also participate in helping identify the changes you have gone through in order to get you the most effective treatment. If ignored, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that a TBI could create long-term health problems.

Recovering from a TBI may take a long time and require lifelong support and intervention. With appropriate therapies, you may have the chance to reverse some of the personality changes you have experienced. Over time and as your condition improves, you may need to modify your treatment plan to maintain its effectiveness. If your injury has created lifelong disabilities, you may want to hire an attorney to help you.