Due to the nature of traumatic brain injuries it’s not uncommon for someone to have a dual diagnosis for both a TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Symptoms of PTSD often include
- Unwanted and repeated memories of a life-threatening or traumatic event
- Flashbacks reliving the traumatic event during which a person loses touch with reality
- Avoidance of reminders - such as people, places, sights, or sounds
- Feelings of detachment from people, even family
- Emotional numbness
- Shame about what happened and what was done
- Survivor guilt with loss of friends, family, comrades
- Hypervigilance or constant alertness for threats
When PTSD and TBI coexist, there are often changes in cognition such as memory and concentration, depression, anxiety, insomnia and fatigue. With this dual diagnosis - one feeds and reinforces the other, so it’s complicated. Having both diagnoses may result in a high risk for suicide. If you have thoughts of suicide - reach out to someone you trust or Call 988 the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
To help you manage PTSD - talk with a trusted person, attend support groups, pace yourself, get rest, work with a counselor or therapist (there are trauma-focused that have been proven to help).
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