Traumatic Brain Injuries And The Family

Traumatic Brain Injuries can be devastating, not only for the individual but also for his or her family. About 2 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury each year, and of these, about 100,000 have long-term functional impairments as a result. This kind of event can mark the complete and utter transformation of a person's life and family structure. Not only are the social and psychological implications monumental, but the financial burden, especially if carried without help, can force a family into disarray. The life financial cost per individual of a brain injury victim can exceed 4.5 million dollars.

Money isn't the most detrimental side effect of traumatic brain injuries though. There are organizations who give grants and donations to family who are experiencing financial difficulties due to a person's brain injury. However, the emotional cost, particularly in situations where the victim no longer functions independently, can be irreparable.

In many cases, the family of the victim becomes the caregiver, because the victim loses his or her ability to work competitively, interact socially, and perform other actions that denote independence. This dramatic change in personal capability sometimes forces family members to restructure their entire lives around the victim's needed accommodations. This rather jarring irregularity in the family's personal way of life may cause certain psychological setbacks.

Many family caregivers experience anxiety, shock, disbelief, denial, depression, and frustration. In these situations, not only have the relationships between family members changed, but also they have changed their personal perception of other individuals in the family, especially with respect to the victim. As a result, parents may feel burdened by the need for extended parenting. Sometimes, the care-giving family member does not posses the physical or psychological requirements need to adequately provide care for the victim. The inability to provide helpful care can increase feelings of anxiety and also lower self-esteem. Siblings may feel neglect, because the victim requires much more attention than previously, or they may feel overworked due to extra needed chores.

Traumatic Brain Injuries are much more devastating than most other types of injury due to the fact that they have a greater impact, financially, emotionally, and psychologically on a greater number of people. And while we can't change the past, in trying times, especially when a person that we love is in dire need, we must learn to cope with the present and move forward in any way that we can.