Hi LostinTime987,

I understand what you're feeling and not feeling. I have blunted/flat affect from my TBI in 09 (auto-accident). The best advice I can give you is to find yourself a good neurologist and be perfectly honest with them about your symptoms. I didn't want to take meds either in the beginning, didn't want to be more of an emotional zombie than I already was. But, there are so many symptoms that result from a head injury that treatment is a necessity for most of us.

Everything you're experiencing right now isn't permanent. You may not go back to exactly the way you were prior to your injury, but you'll learn new ways to cope, think, feel, learn and experience your life.

I promise that along this difficult journey you will find a new kind of happiness, joy and passion for living again...I'll pass along some wisdom that was told to me ~ Learn to take advantage of re-discovering and re-inventing yourself. How many people get to take advantage of something that can be devastating to our lives and get a second chance to do a "re-do", a make-over if you will, of our life.

You will find new discoveries about yourself along the journey. You'll have bad days, but there will also be many many good days.

As far as family and friends, they more than likely won't understand but you have to put you first. Reach out here with those that do understand and any other resources that are available to us.

Some of us have to be our own best advocates and there is a lot to learn about a head injury. No two are exactly alike, but there is enough in common that we all have something valuable to share.

In the beginning, meds may be necessary for you to help you cope and to help with depression, which is so very common after a TBI. It isn't a sign of weakness or not being able to beat this thing on your own.

I won't kid you, it's a long sometimes exhausting and anguishing journey, but there is a wonderful life on the other side. It may not be the life you planned on or expected, but it can be just as good, if not better than the old life...It will be your new norm.

Again, reach out, read, listen, watch every video on TBIs that you can find, find yourself a good neuro if you don't have one. Sometimes you might have to suck it up, fake it till you make and allow yourself to not always be graceful about how you get to where you need to be.

You won't always feel like this. It will get better.

There is a wealth of good advice and experience here and most of the time it's the best you'll find. Share yourself. You have nothing to lose and much to gain. Stay here for a while. There are good people here that will understand.

You are in my thoughts. May all be well in your journey.