Hi everyone,

I had a bike accident in April 2012 when I fell and hit my jaw. I got PCS, with a sort of headache that feels like a buzzing, burning feeling in my right temple (which got better when I wore hats or scarves around my head, as the pressure did something to suppress it!), and the headache gets worse when I concentrate or get tired. The other big symptom has been fatigue and I've been on a nap schedule since June, taking a nap in the afternoon for one or two hours.

After the accident I kept thinking I would get better quickly, and stayed in school (grad school), but I couldn't take my final exams. Then I had a setback, which I think was related partly to just overextending myself and not getting enough sleep, and partly to having drank alcohol (I've vowed to not drinking any more this year, perhaps ever).

Now, a week ago I started feeling a lot better. I can stay up for longer, my naps are shorter, and I don't feel the headache most of the time. I can also write and read for pleasure. Now school wants an answer as to whether I am coming back for fall semester. I had thought of taking a break, but since i feel better, I am getting anxious to get back into it in three weeks, and am also thinking that as I get more energy, I need to do something and live a normal life. If I stay home for a semester, I am worried I will get understimulated and perhaps depressed.

The thing is, I am worried about setbacks and relapses. I don't know how my brain will respond to studying, and the added stress of just regular grad school life. I kept thinking - better safe than sorry - and that I should just rest and be well for next spring. But now I am doubting my decision a lot. I worry about understimulating my brain and perhaps not getting better because I am not using it. Does anyone know just how bad for the brain it could be to get back in the swing of studying, and/or has experience of having gotten better and then starting to study too early on? And is there any merit in taking a long break like I am thinking of doing, or could it even be detrimental to the healing process to be a bit undestimulated when you are starting to feel more capable of doing things again?

Thank you!