Concerned about lack of self control
 

I suffered a minor concussion nearly 15 years ago. After countless visits to far too many different doctors and specialists I was diagnosed with post concussive syndrome.

I suffered from a laundry list of symptoms, including seizures (grand mal and petite), unbearable headaches, long and short-term memory issues, dizziness, sensitivity to sound and light, times when I would just zone out and lose 30 minutes to over an hour. These symptoms seem to have subsided after about ,two-years.

Since then I have noticed I increasing long and short-term memory problems, difficulty focusing, difficulty completing tasks, decreased impulse control (including problems with my temper), and difficulty learning new tasks. In addition, I lack motivation, and have little or no desire to spend any time with family or friends.

I'm 57 now, and in all honesty I attributed these 'problems' to aging. Then an associate made a comment about the possibility the problems I'm still experiencing could very well be connected to that simple bump on the head.

Am I just getting old and worn out, or is there any truth to my associates comments about it possibly being related to an old, seemingly mild injury?

I suspect your associate is correct. A brain injury changes the brain forever. Good news is that with appropriate therapies, the brain can heal!

My TBI was 37 years ago (I'm 54 now). I have had problems with anger and self-control ever since, but I had no reason to link the injury to my anger issues. Until a couple years ago I began making threats to a former supervisor, and got dinged with a nice misdemeanor criminal threat charge. The incident did get me to turn focus on the accident and how it affected me mentally.

At this point, I would be surprised if most if not all of your symptoms were not connected to your brain injury.

These kinds of problems can sneak up on you over time, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were directly connected to that "simple bump on the head".

Are you getting enough rest? Your list "long and short-term memory problems, difficulty focusing, difficulty completing tasks, decreased impulse control (including problems with my temper), and difficulty learning new tasks" are exactly what happen to me if I am over-tired (let's be honest - exhausted), over the long term. Being tired makes everything worse, especially behavior issues.

Are you drinking enough water and eating properly, as well? Your brain demands a lot to keep going at peak - even an ageing brain (which mine is, too)

When I'm worn out, my motivation goes through the floor, and I have no interest in dealing with any living being in person. Online is fine, but I honestly can't be bothered with real live interactions.

Check your sleep and food and water intake. Making some minor adjustments and staying steady with them might help.

Good luck.

Welcome to NT.

What you describe doesn't sound to me like "normal aging". The deficits you are experiencing could be related to your prior injury, or it could be something else. When did these latest symptoms become problematic?

To rule out the "something else" which could possibly include a mini-stroke or clot (which may or may not be related to your prior injury), I'd see a neurologist or/and a clinical neuropsychologist for a thorough professional evaluation.

What types of appropriate therapies are you talking about?

(I hope this isn't a repeat. I'm having computer issues.) Does it get any better? A few years following my concussion, I "snapped" at work and went off on my publisher, which cost me my job. It never occurred to me the behavior may have been related to pcs. I worked as a reporter/photographer/pasteup artist for years. After that, the only lasting job I could find was working as a bartender at a local brew pub. Once it closed, I've been hopping from job to job.

I find it interesting, I mean the similarities I'm seeing in these posts. Here I can relate to the lack of interest in dealing with any living being in person. I used to be a real people person, especially on the job (working for a newspaper and as a bartender). Now it's like I have to turn on a switch inside and act like I enjoy dealing with people face to face. I appreciate the input.

It's tough to say, since I really wasn't paying attention to them. Truth is I think I was trying to work through them, ignore them. I used to act with a small dinner theatre group. I never had a problem memorizing my lines. Several years after my diagnosis, I attempted to perform in a play. Fortunately I played a reporter, so carrying a notebook (with my lines and blocking) looked like nothing more than a prop. I couldn't remember my lines long enough to make it through the first half of a scene. Memory, anger, and motivation issues, plus others probably became problematic almost immediately after the concussion. Looking back, it explains so much. Wish I'd started looking into it earlier.

As far as I'm concerned, the problem is solved. Now that I know what's going on, I can head off problems before they become problems. I can easily recognize when my uncontrolled emotions (especially anger) are the result of frontal lobe failure. At that point I give myself a time-out till the feeling goes away. After about 2 years, the anger sessions just mostly stopped happening; I guess my poor damaged brain can learn new stuff after all.

What really ticks me off (just kidding!) is that I could have headed off legal problems had I only known what was happening with my brain. This is why it's so important for people like us to share our experiences.