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Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 214
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 214
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I've found that when I'm feeling really depressed, which usually happens in conjunction with feeling worse head-wise, that taking even a short walk in the woods or just getting out in nature really helps. If you can't get out, perhaps just listening to some nature sounds or looking at pictures of nature might mimic the effect. When I was feeling my worst I would often just listen to this "Sounds of the Grand Canyon" CD i got when I was a kid that has nature sounds (e.g. running water, birds, wind, rain, etc.) mixed in with new age-y piano music.
I'll second SuperElectric's suggestion of having more interpersonal interactions. I know this prohibitive for many because of symptoms, but if you can manage something it could be really helpful. Personally, when I took a leave of absence from school and moved back in with my parents to focus on recovery, after a few months of not doing much of anything except appointments, I started volunteer coaching for my old high school cross country team. Running had been my world for high school and college, and being around that atmosphere, and especially interacting with people eventually did more than any treatment I've had to make me feel a little more like myself.
It wasn't always easy, and I started off only going to practice a couple times a week and often felt worse afterwards, but it turned into something that really helped stave off deep depression/despair because it expanded my world beyond worrying about the concussion. I also went through a distressing breakup shortly before I went on leave, which was another major source of negative thinking, and coaching helped me deal with that somewhat better. I really hope that if possible you might be able to find something similar, whatever that might be for you given your symptoms. I hope things start turning around sooner, and know that even if it feels like no one understands, people on this board, in the limited capacity that something like this allows, do understand and care.
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26 year-old PhD student in evolutionary biology, slipped on ice in Feb 2014 while clipping my fingernails and walking to save time (dumbest reason for PCS ever?). Initially just had headaches and didn't feel quite right, but a minor head bump 5 days later started a downward spiral of anxiety, depression, insomnia and fatigue. Had trouble concentrating on reading/looking at screens
April 2014 - did exertion test, passed, started exercising and doing more, but didn't feel much better.
May 2014 - Went on backpacking trip OK'd by doctor, trip itself went fine, but felt worse a few days after getting back, more difficulty concentrating, worse headaches.
June 2014 - Bumped head on ceiling walking slowly down stairs, no immediate symptoms, but caused worsening headahces, more difficulty concentrating and looking at screens. Have not felt as good as I did before this since this bump.
December 2014 - after feeling relatively better I went xc skiing and fell but didn't hit my head (something my psychologist who specializes in brain injuries told me he hoped would happen so I saw it was OK), felt worse
Feb 2015 - back in grad school, light teaching load and some research, nowhere close to operating at my full capacity. Still have constant headaches, difficulty reading/looking at screens, mild anxiety and depression, and just not feeling like my normal sharp self.
Trying, but struggling, to believe that I'll get back to my old self, or at least get close.
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