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Effects of Brain Injury

Physical

Tiredness, headaches, weakness, reduced balance/co-ordination, mobility difficulties, loss of control of functions, epilepsy, affected taste/smell/sight/hearing etc

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90% of people receiving a severe brain injury make a good physical recovery. This means their disability is effectively hidden – but it remains nonetheless real. This is why brain injury is often referred to as the ‘hidden’ disability – people can empathise over a broken leg, but are less likely to understand something that they can’t see.

In this section we hope to give you a little understanding of some of the effects that people may experience as a result of a brain injury. No two people are affected in quite the same way and each person may have their own unique set of problems.The experience of a brain injury can be very confusing in ways that the BI person may find difficult to describe and often may not be aware of some of the effects themselves.

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The effects of a brain injury can be many and varied and whether a person has a mild, moderate or severe brain injury, one or many of the following may be experienced:-

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Cognitive

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  • Difficulty following a converstation, TV programmes etc

  • Memory problems

  • Difficulty solving a problem or making a decision

  • Lack of concentration/short attention span

  • Difficulty dealing with everyday tasks – dressing, cooking, shopping etc

  • Problems with following instructions

  • Difficulty understanding things

  • Poor reasoning

  • Loss of previously learned skills

  • Difficulty learning new things

  • Lack of awareness of problems

Social skills

  • Inappropriate social behaviour

  • Withdrawn/lacking confidence

  • Difficulty maintaining relationships

  • Sexual problems

  • Poor judgement

  • Communicaiton difficulties

  • Less tolerant – noise, crowds etc

  • Lack of goals

  • Loss of previously learned skills

  • Showing/recognising emotion

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Behaviour and emotional

  • Personality change

  • Mood swings

  • Depression

  • Aggression

  • Lack of motivation

  • Disinhibition

  • Less tolerant – noise, crowds etc

  • Lack of goals

  • Loss of previously learned skills

  • Showing/recognising emotions

The severity of their difficulties will also vary:

  • Some will be obvious

  • Some will be less so

  • Difficulty maintaining relationships

  • Many people go through stages where they may experience these difficulties and then adapt with time

  • Others may be left with long term problems

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