Whether you are funny, thoughtful, compassionate, kind or a combination of these traits, your personality is uniquely yours. The way you behave also plays a major role in your interpersonal relationships. Regrettably, even a single traumatic brain injury may change your personality forever.
A traumatic brain injury alters the way the brain functions. In the U.S., despite recent advancements in vehicle safety, car accidents remain a leading cause of TBI. Here are some ways a serious TBI may transform your personality for the worse.
Mood swings
From time to time, everyone experiences anger, sadness, happiness, apathy and other emotions. If you suffer a severe TBI, though, you may have a wide range of fast-changing and extreme feelings. In fact, it is not uncommon for TBI sufferers to have outbursts or inappropriate emotional responses.
Disengagement
Neurologists have identified a flat effect that often plagues those who have suffered serious head injuries in car accidents. The flat affect essentially strips you of your emotional response to everyday situations, social interactions and activities. Sadly, things that once brought you joy may trigger no emotional response at all.
Aggression
A catastrophic TBI may make you lose your temper quickly and for little or no reason. If you experience this side effect of a brain injury, you may become verbally or physically abusive to those closest to you. You also may escalate conflicts with strangers, friends, relatives and colleagues.
While you are likely to focus on the physical aspects of your accident-related injuries, you simply cannot neglect your emotional health. Ultimately, if a TBI you suffer in a motor vehicle crash leads to an extreme change to your personality, you may be eligible for financial compensation from the driver who caused the accident.