Brain Injury Support Group
Traumatic brain injury occurs when a sudden trauma causes brain damage. TBI can result from a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. Outcome can be anything from complete recovery to permanent disability or death. A coma can also affect a child's brain.
Do you ever have random thoughts flit into your head that something else bad will happen to you?
I'll be walking down a street and a thought will pop into my head, like, "That person could stab me, and I could die here on the street."
Or, I'll be home and will have some major swelling in my head, and think, "I might have a seizure and die here."
And it's just a momentary thought, and then it's gone. So it's not something that causes anxiety nor do I obsess about it. It just comes in & out of my head in a moment.
I feel like what happened (the TBI/the trauma) has me now expecting more bad things.
Anyone else have this?
I'll be walking down a street and a thought will pop into my head, like, "That person could stab me, and I could die here on the street."
Or, I'll be home and will have some major swelling in my head, and think, "I might have a seizure and die here."
And it's just a momentary thought, and then it's gone. So it's not something that causes anxiety nor do I obsess about it. It just comes in & out of my head in a moment.
I feel like what happened (the TBI/the trauma) has me now expecting more bad things.
Anyone else have this?
but yes my son has those thoughts and at times is nearly obsessive about them. So far he is able to speak with us or his counsellor about them.
I adviseyou thatwhen this happens to say even out loud No this is not true it is not going to happen and repace it with thoughts of something that is good or a happy momentof a goal you have for your future.even asong or hymn or such.
if it is a problem speak to someone who can help.
Hugsfor you dear you arean example
Funny because even if I think I must go go over there or anything I see myself falling. I don't know why, I don't fall very often, or no more than anyone else but if I think I must cross the street I just have this imagine of me falling.
I also worry about other people but I know I can't do anything and it doesn't stress me out. I just have tis thought but then its gone again.
I know f something happens, I have to deal with it then and right now things are as they should be.
Its like because i had a bad accident it seems more realistic that bad things can happen when you least expect them but so can good things happen and thats important to remember
You all nailed it exactly. Now I have this unfortunate knowledge of very, very bad things. So I know it could happen.
I was just on a plane, and when on it, I thought, "This plane could crash. I might die on this plane." But it's not like an anxiety or obsession. It's just like a fact.
I am not the one in the family with the TBI, but I will tell you that I feel that way myself ALL the TIME, even before my husbands accident I would walk around with thoughts like that in my head.... about myself, about my family members everyone......
My son was twirling a pencil one day while doing his homework, and I thought to myself "That pencil is real close to his face WHAT IF it slips and pokes his eye???"
It is a shame we have to live in a WHAT IF world... but we do.... :(
I hope these thoughts you are having will lessen with time... just know they are thoughts and you are not alone in this.... :)
, until I had to drive, 10 miles to work, 2 lane country road. The first winter I drove so slow, I had cars backed up behind me to the point I would pull over to the side, emergency flashers on, to let all the cars go by, then got back on the road driving slow 'till there was another line of cars. This went on for awhile, but little by little it got better. After a second injury I became overwhelmed easily, hyper-aware of things, hypersensitive....it is hard to explain, but my brain was different, it processed stimuli differently, still does. I had to leave my job, too stressful, my brain could not even handle using a computer, but in the last year I have taught myself again with limits. I still get "forced thoughts", sometimes it's a past memory that is triggered. It used to bother me alot...but again time has helped me heal, even tho TBI's are all differnt, I can look back and see progress. I hope these thoughts ease up for you in time. God Bless
best advice is to talk about it and not hide it and hopefully with the support of friends and family it wont become a defining issue for you.
I did not have this prior to my TBI. This is something that has come from my injury. I feel like it is due to PTSD.
I had trauma of the emotional nature prior to my injury, but it did not cause me to have this type of thinking. I think the fact that we have experienced such a life or death situation makes us more aware of ourselves and our surroundings, and what could happen.
This has not really gotten any better over the years, but I think I have come to a better place within myself. I am more aware that life goes on and I can't control what happens in it. I have found it easier to accept things and move on with life. Still everything in life with any change is very traumatic to me.
SSE
Cheesecake i am glad you mentioned the brain working a little different again after a second tbi. Sure my memory is worse, so much I cant remember of recent things and doesnt seem like it is going to improve just yet, some things just need time. over two yrs now since second. I even make sure I play a couple of games each day on my computer, call them my brain exercises.