JJ,

Welcome to Neurotalk.

My observation and opinion is you are suffering serious trauma related anxiety with minimal concussion related symptoms. Not remembering your phone number but being able to access and operate your phone suggests the phone number memory issue is not a big concern. Your ability to remember so many details prior to the 'opened my eyes' and after suggests you did not suffer pre or post traumatic amnesia. The emotional trauma and pain could easily make recalling your phone number difficult. [I didn't feel dizzy, nauseous, or unsteady on my feet.] are good signs of the lack of severity of the impacts.

Anxiety can mimic almost every symptom of a concussion.

Your sleep issues are more likely emotional trauma.

You list so many things that you think you should be worried about. You have no justification to worry after just one trauma. Your anxiety is already changing your life far more than any usual concussion does.

Nobody can say if you suffered a concussion at this point. But, your lack of concussion symptoms, both immediately and later on, suggests any concussion was minor.

You should focus your efforts on your anxiety issues and your worries about the long term effects of severe concussions.

You say: [but don't consider myself all that anxious otherwise.]

Then you state how anxious you are by saying:

[Still, I spend a fair amount of time regretting the past (shoulda, woulda, coulda's) and worrying about the effects that the concussion has had and will have on my brain. I worry about how this injury will affect my intelligence since I am an academic. I worry about the accelerated brain aging that accompanies concussions (reduction in white matter). I worry about the possibility of dementia down the road. The worry of dementia is compounded by the fact that I have a close relative who suffered several brain injuries, including one severe brain injury in early adulthood (coma for 2 months) and another in middle age. This relative now has non-Alzheimer's dementia. The worry is further compounded by the fact that I have been struggling to get the necessary medical referrals.]

The increased risks you face, if you face any increased risks, are 30 to 50 years down the road.

What medical referrals are you expecting or hoping to get?
There is nothing you need medically unless you have ongoing concussion symptoms like dizziness, vision disturbances, mental confusion, etc.

There is nothing to treat but your anxiety. You also need help with your irrational fears of your future.

The research suggests that you already were a bit either anxious or perfectionist or detail oriented prior to your assault. Your response fits with those studied who had a prior minor to major struggle with anxiety and details. That group's biggest struggle is with those traits being greatly magnified by the event. In essence, very minor anxiety issues become life controlling anxiety issues that delay the person from moving on with their life. They see every sensation and experience as a symptom of the trauma.

With enough complaints to doctors, they end up getting treated with anxiolytics and anti-depressant drugs like SSRIs and SNRIs. For some, a short term medication treatment helps them get free of the "I'm brain damaged and my life is ruined" repetitive thinking. I consider meds a last resort. Read the vitamins sticky at the top. Getting proper brain nutrition can help your brain endure the stresses.

You have a lot to contribute to how you move forward. As an academic, the data says you do not have a lot to worry about after just one minor trauma. If you can accept that and move forward, you will improve. If you can't, you will need help.

btw, There is no such thing as treating a concussion. You can only treat the individual symptoms. The idea that without 'concussion' treatment, the long term outcome is worse is totally false.

My best to you.