Impulsivity
 

I havent checked in for awhile. I have finally been approved for pt and psych and a therapist. It seems everyday I have an appt. Which are all good things. It'll be a year in July for me. I have a right frontal head injury where the sharp edge of a 50 lb door came down on me.

The good news is that I havent had a migrane in two weeks. This makes me so happy. I do get a slight headache if I over do it or after pt for my neck. I do have the neck pain after but to me its progress.

My problem is impulsivitiy. I know we've all had impulsivity prior to our head injurys but I mean big leaps. I've almost left my husband (who I love so so much) four times. I brought home a dog even though I knew it would cause him to move out. ( I gave the dog back ) I have started smoking again and yes I know all too well how bad that is for me.

I was in the hospital for a week with these issues and I was put on a cocktail of meds and released to follow up with a psychiatrist after to wean through what I need, what I dont. Wean off, regress, restart, new med etc etc. It's quite the process. I am hoping that with the right combination it'll help. I also have alot of anxiety and I am forcing myself to go out and make friends again. To do so I have to take Clonazepam. I admit it works. I go.

My question is. What happens to our heads during the injury that makes me this way? Is it my head cant stabalize my thoughts? Did the actual impact damage that part of me? Has anyone else experienced this?

I am hopeful the meds will work. I would love to get back to work providing I can find these answers. I know it may take awhile but I am feeling better. I am settling down and not hurting myself myself so much since taking the meds. My mind was always ten steps ahead and forgot the nine steps before. That can lead to some dangerous falls.

I am sending good vibes to everyone. I hope you have a pain free, relaxing, happy day.

hi, impulsivity is a nightmare for me. I have lost count of the number of times I've asked my fiance to move out if he doesn't agree with my mad schemes. I keep promising to help with activities at my sons school that there is no way I am well enough to do. If I have access to money it's gone in seconds either online or out at shops. Very expensive and infuriating for my family.
Keep smiling :)

Crystal, I don't have any suggestions re the impulsivity, but I'm very glad to hear you're making good progress. The backing off of the migraines is great news.

mine is opposite almost. I have little desire to do much of anything... my bills are sitting unpaid, not for lack of money, but simply because I can't be bothered when I remember, and the rest of the time it's just not in my mind at all...

crystal, I am glad your migranes seem to be getting better! I wish I had advice for you...but if you go to the sticky for links at the top of the forum, the last page has some links on hormonal info which might be helpful?maybe? (I havent had the brain power to read it all yet, tee hee)

Camyam,
I'm there with you. I don't know if it is that I am just too tired to do stuff or what, but I don't like to do anything when I get home from work. Just rest.

I have more of an impatient/irritability issue as well. (yarg.) Not quite sure how to fix that.

Good luck with continued progress! :hug:

I have both issues... most of the time I'm too tired to do anything beyond the absolute minimum to keep everyone fed and alive. My bills are sitting in a big stack too, there's money to cover them, but I guess its apathy. (I used to be the sort that paid the bills the day they arrived, so quite a change.)

Then, if I do venture out in the world to replenish supplies to keep everyone fed and alive, I do run the risk of buying things I don't need / don't want / etc.

I think the exhaustion might be related to both the apathy (obvious) and some of my impulsiveness. Its like I'm too tired to make good decisions, so I just throw what I see in the cart and get out of there. Making real solid decisions require effort and thinking, throwing stuff in the cart, not so much.

I've also taken to unnecessarily stocking up on stuff... I was buying medical supplies for my goat's injured leg and ONE package of bandaging wrap would be plenty, but I bought 5. That's probably a couple year's worth, unless my goats all start falling apart at the seams.

There have been other items I've stocked up on for no good reason, can't think of them now. Exhausted from shopping.
Starr

Disinhibition is common when the TBI is in the frontal lobes. That's where emotions and executive functions are processed, and the neuro pathways probably aren't processing stimuli and thoughts the same way they did before the injury. Something you probably want let your psychologist and therapist know about.

Glad your migranes are better, best to you as you continue your recovery.

:hug:

I was very impulsive because of the injury and it's gotten better/reduced in recent months - it's been almost two years since the accident I was in.

I hav become very impulsive since my injury in August. I was never the one to settle down or make any big decisions whitout thinking them thru. But in august I started dating a guy who I only knew well for a month and started living with him almost right away(we are still together and happy). But I would have never done that. I also used my name and info to take a loan out in my name for a car for him that he said he wud pay and I was not capable of really handling a loan that big. (Tht back fired a little. The car is now mine and I now pay for it it was also a blessing in disguise because my moms car broke down so I gave her my old one). I qithdrew from school without thinking it all thru. I could hav e finished 2 out of my 5 classes but ucdnt handle a full time schedule. I also quit my job cuz they wudnt work with me about my schedule and I could have fought that. But I've made a lot of quick and big decisions. That I would have never done before my injury

In addition to the crazy and damaging stuff I did last year, shortly after my injury (haven't done anything else on that scale again, thank goodness), I find that I have less of a "filter" for my emotions. Where I used to be able to hold it in if I got upset, now I will just dissolve in tears if I'm upset, no matter where I am or who's around.

This was a big problem at work, in the classroom. Of course sometimes when you speak to kids, they will talk back and be rude. And, while it's upsetting, usually I would just brush it off, thinking, oh, of course, they're kids. But when I tried to go back to work, I would have those interactions with kids and go back to my desk, break down in tears, and not be able to stop crying. I had to go home multiple times within two weeks because of this (and of course once the kids catch on that they can get you this way it's even worse).

I find this in other areas, too. I just have to avoid situations that are likely to make me upset because I can't maintain my composure.