Behavioural
Domestic violence
Challenging behaviours after a brain injury can sometimes lead to domestic violence within a family.
Read moreEffects of Brain Injury
The long term effects of brain injury are different for each person but can be addressed with proper management and support.
Effects will vary based on the type of condition, the nature and location of the injury, and a variety of other contributing factors. For example, while degenerative disorders typically impact the body’s ability to control movement, other brain injuries may have an impact on cognition, personality and behaviour.
Understanding how different effects specifically impact a person allows for appropriate management strategies and support to be put in place.
Explore factsheets by sub category:
Behavioural
Impaired self-awareness and brain injury
Lack of self-awareness is a common outcome for people who sustain brain injuries with frontal lobe damage. Their inability to self-monitor and self-correct behaviour can lead to challenging behaviours.
Read moreBehavioural
Self-centredness
The ability to view the world from someone else’s point of view is a very complex cognitive skill that occurs in the frontal lobes of the brain. This is a very common area to be affected in a brain injury and other brain disorders which can cause self-centered behaviour.
Read moreBehavioural
Impulsive behaviour
Injury to the frontal lobes after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can affect the area of the brain that normally controls our impulses.
Read moreBehavioural
Anger
Anger is a common emotional response after a brain injury and can be directly related to impairments caused by the injury.
Read moreMental
Clinical Depression
Clinical depression is a serious disorder that impacts on a person physically, emotionally and even cognitively - slowing thought processes and reducing the ability to concentrate.
Read moreMental
Panic Attacks
Panic attacks occur when the body reacts as if it is in immense danger in a situation where most people would not be afraid.
Read morePhysical
Sexual changes
Acquired brain injury (ABI) can have a number of consequences for an individual's sexual functioning. Talking about sex can be embarrassing, but it is important for the person with brain injury and their loved ones to discuss the various issues.
Read morePhysical
Hearing problems after a brain injury
A brain injury can damage both mechanical and neurological processes and result in a variety of hearing difficulties.
Read morePhysical
Balance problems and dizziness after a brain injury
Dizziness and balance problems are common after a brain injury. This can result in problems with movement even when there is no loss of function in the limbs themselves.
Read morePhysical
Sensory and perceptual problems
Sensory and perceptual problems can arise from damage to the right side of the brain or the parietal and occipital lobes of the brain.
Read morePhysical
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is recurring brief episodes of abnormal electrical activity in the brain leading to uncontrolled convulsions and unconsciousness, or a momentary loss of awareness.
Read morePhysical
Headache and brain injury
Headaches are a common and often persistent problem after acquiring a brain injury. Headaches can arise after damage to different structures both inside and outside the head.
Read morePhysical
Sleeping issues after a brain injury
Lack of sleep has a negative effect on our cognition, mood, energy levels and appetite. The average person needs eight hours of sleep a night or will suffer from decreased concentration, energy and many other problems. These effects are multiplied many times by a traumatic brain injury, stroke and other types of brain disorder.
Read morePhysical
Managing fatigue
Fatigue is a common and very disabling symptom experienced by people with a brain injury.
Read moreCognitive
Motivation and initiation (Adynamia)
Some brain injuries can result in a loss of motivation and difficulty in getting started with activities.
Read moreCognitive
Perseveration (Repetition)
Perseveration is repetitive and continuous behavior, speech or thought that occurs due to changes in cognitive skills such as memory, attention, and mental flexibility.
Read moreCognitive
Memory Problems and Tips
Short-term memory loss is very common after a brain injury – thankfully there are plenty of coping strategies available. Typical situations include forgetting people's names, losing a train of thought, getting lost at the shops, repeating or forgetting past conversations, misplacing objects and difficulty learning new skills.
Read moreCognitive
Attention and concentration problems
A brain injury can affect attention or concentration abilities, leading to problems with work, study and everyday living.
Read moreBrain injuries can have significant effects on behaviour, impacting impulse control and self awareness.
These effects stem from damage to areas of the brain that regulate emotions and impulses and include anger, impulsive behaviour, self-centeredness, impaired awareness and even violence. Changes in a person’s personality and social skills can be confronting and where possible, families should work with the rehabilitation team or specialists to respond consistently to challenging behaviour.
Behavioural
Domestic violence
Challenging behaviours after a brain injury can sometimes lead to domestic violence within a family.
Read moreBehavioural
Impaired self-awareness and brain injury
Lack of self-awareness is a common outcome for people who sustain brain injuries with frontal lobe damage. Their inability to self-monitor and self-correct behaviour can lead to challenging behaviours.
Read moreBehavioural
Self-centredness
The ability to view the world from someone else’s point of view is a very complex cognitive skill that occurs in the frontal lobes of the brain. This is a very common area to be affected in a brain injury and other brain disorders which can cause self-centered behaviour.
Read moreBehavioural
Impulsive behaviour
Injury to the frontal lobes after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can affect the area of the brain that normally controls our impulses.
Read moreBehavioural
Anger
Anger is a common emotional response after a brain injury and can be directly related to impairments caused by the injury.
Read moreThe cognitive effects of brain injury include attention and concentration problems, memory problems and difficulty with motivation and making decisions.
This may mean that people with a brain injury become easily distracted, or experience information overload and be slower at taking in and making sense of information. There are strategies that can be put into place to help manage these effects and to improve concentration and attention.
Cognitive
Motivation and initiation (Adynamia)
Some brain injuries can result in a loss of motivation and difficulty in getting started with activities.
Read moreCognitive
Perseveration (Repetition)
Perseveration is repetitive and continuous behavior, speech or thought that occurs due to changes in cognitive skills such as memory, attention, and mental flexibility.
Read moreCognitive
Memory Problems and Tips
Short-term memory loss is very common after a brain injury – thankfully there are plenty of coping strategies available. Typical situations include forgetting people's names, losing a train of thought, getting lost at the shops, repeating or forgetting past conversations, misplacing objects and difficulty learning new skills.
Read moreCognitive
Attention and concentration problems
A brain injury can affect attention or concentration abilities, leading to problems with work, study and everyday living.
Read moreBrain injury can have an impact on a person’s mental state, with many factors contributing to experiences such as clinical depression and panic attacks.
Although these can be confronting topics, it is important to have an understanding of the impact brain injury has on mental health. Once you are aware of these impacts, a range of treatment and support options can be approached with your doctors and support team.
Mental
Clinical Depression
Clinical depression is a serious disorder that impacts on a person physically, emotionally and even cognitively - slowing thought processes and reducing the ability to concentrate.
Read moreMental
Panic Attacks
Panic attacks occur when the body reacts as if it is in immense danger in a situation where most people would not be afraid.
Read moreThe physical effects of brain injury are wide ranging but can include fatigue, sleep issues, headaches, dizziness and hearing problems.
These physical effects can have an impact on your quality of life and make it harder to complete every day activities. It is important to develop strategies to minimise these effects, such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle and undertaking physical therapy where necessary.
Physical
Sexual changes
Acquired brain injury (ABI) can have a number of consequences for an individual's sexual functioning. Talking about sex can be embarrassing, but it is important for the person with brain injury and their loved ones to discuss the various issues.
Read morePhysical
Hearing problems after a brain injury
A brain injury can damage both mechanical and neurological processes and result in a variety of hearing difficulties.
Read morePhysical
Balance problems and dizziness after a brain injury
Dizziness and balance problems are common after a brain injury. This can result in problems with movement even when there is no loss of function in the limbs themselves.
Read morePhysical
Sensory and perceptual problems
Sensory and perceptual problems can arise from damage to the right side of the brain or the parietal and occipital lobes of the brain.
Read morePhysical
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is recurring brief episodes of abnormal electrical activity in the brain leading to uncontrolled convulsions and unconsciousness, or a momentary loss of awareness.
Read morePhysical
Headache and brain injury
Headaches are a common and often persistent problem after acquiring a brain injury. Headaches can arise after damage to different structures both inside and outside the head.
Read morePhysical
Sleeping issues after a brain injury
Lack of sleep has a negative effect on our cognition, mood, energy levels and appetite. The average person needs eight hours of sleep a night or will suffer from decreased concentration, energy and many other problems. These effects are multiplied many times by a traumatic brain injury, stroke and other types of brain disorder.
Read morePhysical
Managing fatigue
Fatigue is a common and very disabling symptom experienced by people with a brain injury.
Read more