Be really careful with trusting statistics like 5%... I've read that upwards of 50% of people get PCS after a concussion.

But is that trustworthy?

My stepmom was in an auto accident and two months later told her Dr. she was having difficulty thinking straight and the Dr. told her it's because she had a concussion from the accident... it was the first she'd heard of it! She hadn't been told to take it easy or anything! (This was over ten years ago...) How many people don't even know that they have a concussion!?!

And many Dr.'s disagree about what the parameters are of what makes a PCS diagnosis. Some say 2 weeks post injury, others say 3 months and some are somewhere between the two.

I remember feeling like something was wrong with me when the first neuro I saw would tell me that I'd be "back to normal" in the next 2 weeks, or 6 weeks or whatever new time period he told me.

Ultimately, I think this guilt comes from the thinking that we are in control of our bodies and our health, when the truth is we are NOT IN CONTROL of those things. (I learned this from my therapist - it seems pretty obvious when you really think about it, but that's how ingrained it is that we are in control in Western Society!)

We are taught that if we exercise and are trim, that nothing bad will happen to us. We will avoid cancer, diabetes, MS or whatever other kinds of health conditions we are at risk for... this is simply NOT the case.

Please try to think about it like this: if you have a child, niece, nephew, cat, dog, close friend, basically someone you care deeply about - how patient would you be with them? How understanding? Probably very. Am I right?

Now give yourself that kind of compassion, patience and understanding.