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How brain injuries can affect mental health
09 August 2024
Brain Injury Awareness Week, held annually in August, aims to raise community awareness of the physical, mental, and social impacts of brain injuries and the support available to those affected.
Brain injury is an invisible disability, as there is often no physical evidence of the injury. Despite not being seen, its impact is felt every day, with 28.1% of Australian Defence Force personnel having experienced at least one mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in their lifetime.
The impacts of a brain injury
Brain injuries can affect an individual across multiple domains, including physical changes, cognitive changes, and psychological changes.
Physical impacts of a brain injury include headaches, fatigue, and visual or auditory sensitivity. Cognitive changes may include deficits in memory, attention, concentration and executive functioning skills. Finally, psychological impacts of brain injuries include changes in an individual’s mood, personality, and behaviour.
How brain injuries affect our loved ones
The impact of brain injuries can mean that the individual affected may find it more difficult to regulate their emotions and impulses, and family members may notice increased levels of anger and other emotions that are challenging to be confronted by.
Changes to personality and social skills can also be confronting and confusing for family members, whereas changes to the individual's attention and memory span may come across as forgetfulness or inattention, causing frustration for family members and loved ones.
Finally, changes to a person’s physical functioning may make it harder to complete tasks, with families having to help to facilitate strategies with the help of health professions to maintain daily tasks and a healthy lifestyle.
The effect of brain injuries on mental health
A brain injury increases a person’s risk in developing mental health conditions, and engagement with a healthcare professional can help those affected maintain their mental health and wellbeing. The cognitive effects of brain injuries can make it more difficult to deal with stress, and some common health concerns that can arise with brain injuries include PTSD, depression, anxiety, and panic disorder.
Speaking to a psychologist
Mental health support is crucial to brain injury recovery, to understand the condition, understand the symptoms each individual feels and their impact, and working through the emotions that come with changes in a person’s sense of self.
It is important that mental health support is also available to the family members and loved ones that often play a key role in supporting those with a brain injury, ensuring they are also maintaining their own health and wellbeing.
Support at Mates4Mates
Mates4Mates provides veterans and family members with access to mental health support through our team of psychologists, counsellors, and social workers. Seeking mental health support is an important step when faced with the impacts of a brain injury.
Mates4Mates also offers the Defence community support through our team of exercise physiologists and physiotherapists, who can assist those who have experienced a brain injury to cope with the physical health changes that come with their injury, as well as maintain movement and activity to benefit the individual’s overall wellbeing.
For more information about Mates4Mates services and how we can help to support you, reach out to us on 1300 4 MATES (62 837) for a confidential chat.
Written by Kahlia Southgate, Mates4Mates Psychologist
The impacts of a brain injury
Brain injuries can affect an individual across multiple domains, including physical changes, cognitive changes, and psychological changes.
Physical impacts of a brain injury include headaches, fatigue, and visual or auditory sensitivity. Cognitive changes may include deficits in memory, attention, concentration and executive functioning skills. Finally, psychological impacts of brain injuries include changes in an individual’s mood, personality, and behaviour.
How brain injuries affect our loved ones
The impact of brain injuries can mean that the individual affected may find it more difficult to regulate their emotions and impulses, and family members may notice increased levels of anger and other emotions that are challenging to be confronted by.
Changes to personality and social skills can also be confronting and confusing for family members, whereas changes to the individual's attention and memory span may come across as forgetfulness or inattention, causing frustration for family members and loved ones.
Finally, changes to a person’s physical functioning may make it harder to complete tasks, with families having to help to facilitate strategies with the help of health professions to maintain daily tasks and a healthy lifestyle.
The effect of brain injuries on mental health
A brain injury increases a person’s risk in developing mental health conditions, and engagement with a healthcare professional can help those affected maintain their mental health and wellbeing. The cognitive effects of brain injuries can make it more difficult to deal with stress, and some common health concerns that can arise with brain injuries include PTSD, depression, anxiety, and panic disorder.
Speaking to a psychologist
Mental health support is crucial to brain injury recovery, to understand the condition, understand the symptoms each individual feels and their impact, and working through the emotions that come with changes in a person’s sense of self.
It is important that mental health support is also available to the family members and loved ones that often play a key role in supporting those with a brain injury, ensuring they are also maintaining their own health and wellbeing.
Support at Mates4Mates
Mates4Mates provides veterans and family members with access to mental health support through our team of psychologists, counsellors, and social workers. Seeking mental health support is an important step when faced with the impacts of a brain injury.
Mates4Mates also offers the Defence community support through our team of exercise physiologists and physiotherapists, who can assist those who have experienced a brain injury to cope with the physical health changes that come with their injury, as well as maintain movement and activity to benefit the individual’s overall wellbeing.
For more information about Mates4Mates services and how we can help to support you, reach out to us on 1300 4 MATES (62 837) for a confidential chat.
Written by Kahlia Southgate, Mates4Mates Psychologist
