Does anyone with TBI or who has a relative with TBI have a difficult time getting other people to understand your situation? It is very hard to make people understand what we go through with our son since he "appears" to be perfectly normal, is high functioning and in college, has a job, etc. Very few of our relatives have seen him when he suddenly flies into a rage, or when he's hallucinating, etc. Nobody understands the toll it takes on us (parents) or his girlfriend who have to be prepared to drop everything and go when he's having some kind of an episode. Recently we all went to brunch and relatives commented that he seemed just fine. Because a brain injury isn't something you can "see" it is difficult to justify to others.

I have a awful time making my mom understand she's one of thosestrong southern women so to her it's like ''Get Over It'' also the other wrestlers joke around and say stuff b/c they don't understand no one gets it except for my Grandmother,wife,and father,there were times where if my dad wouldn't have talked to me I think as disturbing as this sounds ''Suicide had crossed my mind several times'' that was when it was real bad those days are now long over and i can function pretty good im 60% better 40% PCS,i do understand what your saying the only way some people understoddd what i was saying like my brother who never got it until he watched the youtube clip where they guy explains it PERFECTLY he was doing a documentary and explained it to a T.........peace

Yes definitely having a hard time both understanding and making myself understood. Especially since it's been a while since the accident. People don't see it and I can't explain it so I'm stuck until the formal diagnosis.

We have a "formal" diagnosis tho it is subject to change, and it still doesn't make it any easier for people to understand. It's really frustrating.

Do you remember what YouTube clip that was? I'd like to see it. Thanks for the advice!

Yes it is very difficult. The symptoms are so strange and extreme that it is hard for people to realize this is a medical condition and a personality.

Hi Lynn - I'm now +11 years post injury and I can say with confidence that your son will never be understood by others. In many ways its it simply too subtle, especially for intellectuals who were very high functioning pre-injury. Being high-functioning is good enough for others but not for you. You know you are not close to being your former self. Others do not and perhaps cannot appreciate the devastating impact of many small changes that add up to an existential crisis of self.

I am 51 with two adult children, ages 22 and 25. If either of them suffered a TBI now I would support them in doing the maximum in cognitive and neurobehaviour rehab but IT HAS TO BE TAILORED REHAB JUST FOR THEM. Then I would sign them up with a good psychiatrist who can help them accept the changes that remain after the rehab course is finished.

Hope this helps!

Ruth

your personality buQUOTE=lynnschreiber;466586]Does anyone with TBI or who has a relative with TBI have a difficult time getting other people to understand your situation? It is very hard to make people understand what we go through with our son since he "appears" to be perfectly normal, is high functioning and in college, has a job, etc. Very few of our relatives have seen him when he suddenly flies into a rage, or when he's hallucinating, etc. Nobody understands the toll it takes on us (parents) or his girlfriend who have to be prepared to drop everything and go when he's having some kind of an episode. Recently we all went to brunch and relatives commented that he seemed just fine. Because a brain injury isn't something you can "see" it is difficult to justify to others.[/QUOTE]

Its pretty simple actually. If the person is not acting the way you've always perceived and they tell you that they've had some health issues, then you gotta keep trying to fix it.

That's been my case. My parents have been very supportive. Its obvious that I am having problems. I can't even get out of bed. I don't enjoy anything about life. You don't just go from being an outgoing healthy enjoyable individual to a pity.

I've forced myself to stay in college throughout the pain and problems associated with what I think is a head injury. I've forced myself to get a job to survice, but I couldn't come to work on time because I'd be up at 3 am trying to fall asleep, or, I couldn't stay awake at work, or I couldn't concentrate, or I'd be thinking about how bad I feel and the fact I should trying to figure what my underlying health problem is. I don't do drugs, I've been alienated for a while. Its not hard to tell. I've been under psychiatric care. They can't even fix me and they know something is wrong. I don't mean to babble on, but you see my point. I USED to be a straight A student playing sports year round with endless amounts of friends. I USED to laugh all the time and have fun. Now I'm just in pain with fatigue and whatever else.

My point is if the person is well enough to have a girlfriend, work, still does what they want, then it doesn't seem like their still suffering. Eventually, you have to compare them to people like me. And, start to do what YOU think is best. Don't let empathy bite you in the behind.

Unless you go through something like this yourself you will NEVER understand it. Theres just a difference between the people who care about your injury and want to know what you're going through, and theres the people who, I wouldnt say dont care, but have their own problems and just arent that interested.. its a shame...

In fact the person who caused my PCS was telling me that I should see a shrink because there clearly isnt anything wrong with me... QUALITY FRIEND.. whom I may add is no longer a friend.

hi guys and gurls

people can take advantage as was the case with me in business when my employers realized it was not getting better and in my position I had to deal with a huge amount of info and dead lines they just bulled me out of existence by employing a rabid Russian manager to replace me, I did not have the mental faculty,s to defend my position , my men also lost there jobs replaced by the cheap and foreign, the world don.t slow down for us, and sh-- rises to the suffice, my men check in on me, from time to time guess you know who ya friends are when you fall huh