Emotional Consequences of Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be a seriously debilitating condition. Many victims must cope with the loss of important brain functions that affect their ability to perform simple daily tasks that they once took for granted. Understandably, some degree of emotional fallout often accompanies this loss. As a result, TBI victims are often irritable or depressed, showing less interest in activities that they once found enjoyable. This condition is known as “anhedonia.”

Specifically, patients who have suffered neuropsychological impairment often feel that they now lack the ability to control their lives. This perceived helplessness often leads to patients being less active and less discerning when making decisions or performing tasks. They tend to oversimplify or rely on preconceived notions instead of taking an engaged role in their lives.

Additionally, people with brain injuries may avoid complicated or unsolvable problems, distancing themselves from the situation at hand in order to escape it. Their newfound dependence on other people can also lower their self-esteem. All of these emotional problems can be overwhelming, seriously affecting a TBI victim’s quality of life for years to come.

If your brain injury was caused by someone else’s negligence or recklessness, you can hold them accountable for your emotional pain and suffering just as much as your physical impairment.

If you have further questions about brain injury cases, please contact Wapner Newman today to schedule a free case evaluation with one of our experienced Philadelphia accident attorneys. We represent brain injury victims throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with offices in Philadelphia, West Conshohocken, Allentown, and Marlton.