[soccer14]

While doing my reading for stress management I came across the section on PTSD. I realized that many of the symptoms described in the book were things I had experienced. I tried to put it out of my mind until and a questionnaire from the book made me realize I have every single symptom relating to PTSD.

Many of the symptoms for PTSD are similar to that of PCS. Has anyone ever been diagnosed with PTSD after having multiple or very severe concussions?

I thought I was just being stupid by not being able to get over the past but then I thought I might not even have control on getting over it because of the possibility that I have PTSD. Has anyone else found problems with this?

The symptoms have been around since my first concussion but they have become increasingly worse the last few months. I couldn't figure out why until I realized what had happened five months ago. My sister's boyfriend, who I was also very close with, had an unexplained accident at work and fell directly onto his head. A day and a half after arriving at the hospital he was pronounce brain dead.

I keep suppressing the event and pretending it has no effect on me since it was five months ago. I had an awakening how deeply I was still feeling the emotions when a guest speaker came to my class and talked about how her daughter had been killed in a car accident and pronounced brain dead.

I held it together during the speech but when I got back to my dorm I completely broke down. Even just typing this is hard because it brings up all those memories of the events. I can likely look forward to some bad dreams tonight.

I know that the return of the symptoms was triggered by that accident because I have felt different since it happened. I can no longer empathize with people, even in some of the saddest or happiest emotional situation they tell me about I feel nothing. I am more serious than I used to be and I sometimes find it hard to be around people when they are happy and in a joking mood.

I just wanted to get this question out to everyone to see if they have had these problems or been diagnosed with PTSD after their injury. Any answers would be a major help, thanks.

-Soccer 14

[Mark in Idaho]

Soccer 14,

A concussion can cause PTSD to be more pronounced. They work against each other to create a combined cluster of symptoms worse than either alone. But, PCS alone can also be the cause of all of your symptoms. The tragedies you have been close to just create a heavy emotional/stress burden when your brain is least able to tolerate it.

It sounds like you could benefit from some counseling therapy to help you with these issues. Your emotions may be flat but your mind still needs to process the events. Maybe a doctor specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Physiatrist) can refer you to someone who understand PCS, grief and even PTSD.

If you are anxious about his brain injury resulting in death and comparing it to your own head injury, you need to realize that your injury is long past the time when it could put your life at risk. You are not even at risk for Second Impact Syndrome.

It sounds like your classwork may be a bit stressful for someone with your history, at least in your present state. Pushing through stressful events and classwork is counter to recovery.

btw, What are the symptoms you have that coincide with PTSD ?

[soccer14]

Not all of the symptoms are directly related to PCS which I why I think there is a possibility of PTSD. My symptoms include:

-Reliving the event. I often get random flashbacks of the concussions I can remember getting or something that was related to the injury and I have no control over when they happen or how long they last.

-Avoiding situations that remind me of the event. I get physically sick anytime I know someone has sustained a head injury. Even when someone passes out and I know it has nothing to do with a head injury I can't stand to be in the same room. A girl in one of my classes passed out for no reason a few weeks ago and when she came to she was stuttering. They had to take her out on a stretcher. I couldn't stand to be in the room I waited outside in the hall.

-Feeling numb. While I have never expressed my emotions well I no longer want to talk about them at all or what I am feeling with other people. Like I said before there are times I can't be around people when they are in a good mood.

-Get startled easily. Most of the common descriptions talk about loud noises with this one because of veterans, which do scare me but because of the concussions this one is more anything around my head or coming at my face really freaks me out.

-Having a hard time concentrating. This one might be completely because of PCS or a combination of both. Even on medication I struggle to concentrate on a lot of things like studying or reading.

-Suddenly becoming irritable or angry. Since my first couple concussions I have had problems with a short temper and becoming irritable. I noticed this has escalated the past few months though in that at random times I want to physically hurt someone, and I mean hurt them really bad. I never had problems with fights when I was younger but lately I have found myself craving to fight someone. This symptom was not present until after my sister's boyfriends death. It scares me because I knew if I got in a fight ever I would hurt them. I have dreams about beating people close to death and it worries me.

-Changes in beliefs and feelings. I can no longer empathize with people no matter how sad or happy the event. Most of my college friends have transferred and I either don't make an effort to keep in touch with the ones still on campus and I don't make an effort towards making new friends. I don't feel like I can trust people anymore not even my closest friends or relatives. Because of this I don't talk about my emotions or any problems I am having with them anymore, I just keep it to myself.

-Having nightmares. This one was really present after about my third concussion. I had the same recurring nightmare every night. While I still have nightmares relating to getting injured often they don't happen every night and it is not the same dream over and over.

I am lucky enough to not have problems sleeping but when I do I usually have the nightmares. When they are really bad I wake up almost more tired then when I went to bed. Especially physically, I think I brace my muscles when I have some nightmares.


Most of these overlap with the symptoms of PCS but there are enough that don't coincide that I may have PTSD along with the PCS. I am going to talk to the professor who teaches my stress management class tomorrow about it and see what she thinks about it.

-Soccer14

[Mark in Idaho]

These symptoms can all be GAD, General Anxiety Disorder on top of PCS. Either way, you should seek counseling. I also suggest you try the brain nutrition regimen, especially the B-12, and L-Tryptophan. Your stress levels sound high.

Living with PCS and GAD means we need to seriously moderate our stress levels, far beyond the needs of an uninjured brain. I wonder if general stress management techniques are enough. I think we need to accept that we may need to avoid some stressors rather than try to manage them.