A traumatic brain injury (TBI) often occurs during one of the most stressful times of a person’s life, and the aftermath can be just as difficult. Understanding the relationship between stress and TBI symptoms is helpful when managing recovery and long-term outcomes. If you’re also seeking compensation through a personal injury case, it’s important to factor in how stress may affect your condition. At Ernst Law Group, our California traumatic brain injury lawyer can help you account for all relevant factors to appropriately value your losses after suffering a TBI.
Studies show that stress and TBIs have a bi-directional relationship
Stress is a regular part of life, and our bodies have systems in place to help manage stress. However, these systems, including the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis (HPA Axis), which is responsible for the fight or flight response, may have a significant impact on how your body recovers from a TBI. One recent study found that as HPA axis dysfunction and TBI prognosis increase, hospital stays tend to last longer, and prognoses may become less favorable
The research fails to report a clear causal relationship to say that stress causes a traumatic brain injury to worsen. This is due to the way they may feed on each other. For example, a traumatic brain injury that disrupts appropriate activation of the HPA axis may affect your body’s ability to manage these stress responses effectively. However, a prolonged stress response may affect your body’s ability to regulate and heal from the TBI.
The relationship between stress and traumatic brain injury
Stressful events, especially adjusting to life with a TBI, can overwhelm your ability to cope, potentially making symptoms worse. When you experience this kind of chronic stress, it can dramatically impact your cognitive functions and mental health, worsening cognitive deficits and further reducing your quality of life.
A traumatic brain injury may make you more vulnerable to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
A TBI is caused by trauma to your brain, resulting in damage or cell death. When you sustain this injury as a result of someone else’s negligence, the experience of a traumatic event can have a lasting impact on your physical, mental, and psychological well-being.
A recent study discussing the relationship between stress and TBIs reports that individuals may be at an increased risk of Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) due to the circumstances of injury, as well as HPA axis disruption.
HPA dysfunction may cause increased stress responses such as neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and excitotoxicity, which are mechanistically linked to common posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms like anxiety, irritability, and learning and memory problems.
You can take steps to reduce the effects of stress on your TBI
Chronic stress takes a toll on both the brain and body, and for people recovering from a TBI, it can make symptoms worse. The good news is that there are practical steps and brain injury resources available to protect your well-being and support your recovery.
Building a strong support system is one of the most important things you can do. Having people you can rely on plays a major role in both emotional and physical healing, especially if you’re dealing with post concussive symptoms like memory issues or mood swings.
Many people also benefit from establishing a consistent daily routine. Predictability can help calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety, making it easier for your brain to heal.
Here are some strategies that may help reduce stress and support recovery after a TBI:
- Stick to a routine to promote a sense of stability and reduce overwhelm.
- Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing or meditation to ease anxiety.
- Reach out for support, including friends, family, or brain injury support groups.
- Limit sensory overload by reducing screen time and creating a calm environment.
- Prioritize rest to give your brain time to recover and regulate.
It’s also a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider about additional TBI support. Trauma-informed therapy, neuropsychological rehabilitation, TBI support groups, and other recovery resources are available for managing stress and improving long-term outcomes.
A fast diagnosis can reduce stress and improve TBI recovery
The most common methods for diagnosing a TBI are a combination of self-report and imaging. These methods are generally effective, but they can take time, delaying both diagnosis and treatment. However, with new diagnostic options like the i-STAT TBI test, physicians can get results faster, allowing them to intervene more quickly, reduce stress on the body, and increase positive outcomes.
Ernst Law Group advocates for people with traumatic brain injuries
At the Ernst Law Firm, we are passionate about fighting for the rights of individuals and their families. When you have suffered a TBI because of someone else’s negligent or intentional action, many aspects of your life can change in an instant. We know that stress can exacerbate symptoms of your TBI and PTSD, which are often co-occurring.
Obtaining the appropriate treatment for your TBI and stress reduction can cost a significant amount of time and money that shouldn’t be your responsibility. If stress is making your TBI worse, don’t wait to get support. Call (805) 541-0300 or contact us online for a free case consultation. We work on a contingency basis, so you won’t pay anything unless we win your case.
