Brain Injury Support Group

Have you tried counseling at all? It might help with some of the unknowns you are having. If you are enjoying life, it must be related to your TBI. I recently have been going and it helps some. For me, it gives different perspectives on things.

I've thought about counseling even called a few places. After the 3rd call telling me they don't take on TBI cases I gave up. I even tried to set up some support group locally, but no one with experience in the area. The closest city that have such help are several hours away. I guess our little hick towns aren't facinating to the neuro doctors or therapists. IN fact, that's what led me to the Internet where I found DS.

There are plenty of us TBI "cases" here in the area, but we are pretty much on our own once they kick us loose from the hospital.

I should add...I can smile, laugh & tease, but not at will. It's all very speratic.

Thanks Kaz!

I can really see the difference in pictures of me before and after my injury. In my "before" pictures, my whole face is animated with laughter and in my "after" pictures, I look like a blank canvas "TRYING" to smile! So, I relate, good buddy!!! I really hate that you can't find a doctor who specializes in TBI. There's GOT to be SOMETHING we can do about that!!!!! I'm processing, it may take a while --- you, know how we are ;) BIG kisses!!!!! Marsh

I feel your pain. I also lost my emotions when I had my accident in 2001. I did not know what happened to me but I was a completely different person. I use to be laughing and joking all the time. I was fun to be around, and truly enjoyed life. Then I was rear ended and received my tbi. among the other effects of the injury, this one hurt the worst. I could not feel any happiness when I should have, or any sadness when I should have. When I carried my Grandfather to his grave I felt like I was carrying a tool box to a job site. I feel a little guilty, but I felt more sorrow that I could not feel sadness than I did for my Grandfather who I loved dearly. The good news is, I am finally getting some of my emotions back. To look at me and talk to me you would never know I had a lack of emotions before but I did. I told a friend once it was a terrible problem. I could win the lottery tomorrow and I would not have felt any joy from it. Quality of life is very low when you have no emotions. I don't know if there is a way to help them come back. It may be a part of your brain that has to take time to heal before it happens. I have heard people say maybe exposure to situations like sad movies or comedy movies may help it along, but I have no proof of this. All I can tell you is it takes time. And leave you with a little hope that if mine came back after 7 years, then there is hope for you that it will come back. Everyone heals at a different speed depending on how bad the injury is. You may heal much faster than I did. I completely understand what you mean when you say " the part I miss about the old me", cause that is the part I miss most about the old me as well.

Thanks Paul for giving me more hope! I'm glad you got yours back!!!

A very wise friend has advised me to embrace my TBI and PTSD, not fight it. The negativity was totally dragging me down. Accept it as the "new me", discover my new journey. It's not always easy advice to follow, but I try and I do find that it is helpful. I have read some of your posts and advice, and I do think you have a great sense of humor! You will find a way to express yourself again. Good luck!

The thing that I feel is that it feels like you are carrying extra weight. Since the injury, everything is a bit different. Mine is a mild injury and others are worse off then I am. But I am sure it is true for all of us. We just are not as jolly or happy or fun to be around. I think with me, it is all my meds currently, but I would rather experience this then the physical pain that came with and is still with me.

Thanks to everyone for your advise! I can be funny. but...it's very random, I feel happy but it doesn't show to anyone else. I get tired of hearing how they miss it too. It's kind of like that's how they know me...I'm full of it or was...nah, I still am it just seems to take more than I got to dish it all out.

My duahgter use to tell me "ou don't smile anymore" pus the other thing is I can't tell if she's joking or not. (My brain can't decipher whether she's joking or really serious. ) That drives her to raise her voice when I can't tell, and the raising of the voice doesn't help me.

I've discovered that the most I laugh at are quirky commercials. Ones /I never would have thought wasremotely funny before.

The other thing is I had to lkearn to laugh at myself and my new self, which I know is hard to get to that point, but it helped a lot, even when my daughter didn't think it was funny.