Moods and depression

[Daisyyy]

Hi i had a brain injury nearly 2 and half years ago. I have tried my best to get back to normal but i feel i am really struggling now. My moods and depression is all over the place and i sometimes here voices. I am so embarrassed to speak to someone about this as i feel i will be judged or laughed at. Has anyone experienced this and if so do you have any advice for me please?

[cat3]

Hello Daisy. Whatever your symptoms there will be a medical or psychological explanation, so no one will laugh at you. But you need to speak to your GP or other health professional in order to get to the root of the problem.

I'm not aware of a connection between hearing voices and brain injury. Voices in the head is mostly related to psychiatric issues, although there are apparently exceptions. So it'll need specialist attention to match symptoms with causes in order to determine the best course of treatment.

We rarely reach our recovery goals after a brain injury owing to certain areas of permanent damage ; that in itself can cause disillusionment and/or depression. Further investigation should hopefully differentiate between the after-effects of the injury and possible mental/psychological issues.

Talk to your doctor with complete honesty m'love. People can suffer for years because of unnecessary embarrassment. Get help Daisy.

All best wishes, Cat x

[Daisyyy in reply to cat3]

Thanks cat3. I see a psychiatrist and i have recently started seeing a psychologist that i am doing different tests and things with at the moment so i willsee what the outcome is. I just feel i am deteriorating more lately and not doing as well as i was and i am starting tje question myself alot and doubt myself x

[Fificakes2 in reply to Daisyyy]

I’m glad you’re getting help and sometimes when you start to face up to the brain damage and how things are you can really feel like deteriorating, but it’s because you realising so much and thinking about too much and it’s a hard place to be in.

I guess your recovery has slowed a lot too now? I had my accident long ago and each time you realise things it’s hard and very easy go backwards

[sospan in reply to Daisyyy]

What you are experiencing is "normal" for HI survivors especially at the point you are at now.

Typically when you first get the injury they pain, confusion, medication etc. overwhelms other issues. The n as these initials symptoms subside and you start to do more things then they start to surface.

[cat3 in reply to Daisyyy]

Keep fighting Daisy. Many of us hit really low points when we start to realise 'This could be it' and we have to let go of the past.

But it was three years before I reached my best, and in those 3 years I learned to adapt to different standards and expectations, all the while improving unnoticeably....…….. 'til looking back !

Be kind to yourself and rather than berating yourself for what you can't do, pat yourself on the back for what you can. 🤔 x

[sealiphone in reply to Daisyyy]

You say you're seeing a Psychiatrist and Psychologist, I wonder if these are in fact a Neuropsychiatrist & Neuropsychologist.

I ask this as in my experience unless they are specialists in brain injury their ability to help is limited.

I've been diagnosed with Clinical depression and I've been on medication for 4 years and it does help.

You mention voices in your head and it's possible you're describing my experience. We all have an internal voice but with clinical depression that voice can't be controlled and it results in very distorted thoughts,

I've been told that depression is the most common symptom of a ABI.

[Daisyyy in reply to sealiphone]

Yes its a neurophychiatrist that i see.

[Plenty]

Fatigue can play a big part, I got so fatigued, as I was trying to hard to recover, but it really effected my mood, depression, anxiety etc..

I honestly believed that I was going back and getting worse.

There are no short cuts, progress is slow, but rehabilitation need a balance of different activities. Take it steady and have plenty of rests and breaks.

[DTBI]

Hi Daisy, sorry to hear about your trouble. I can only speak from my own experience, I suffered a TBI just 6yrs ago. It did take me around 3yrs though to finally accept I could never be the same person I used to be pre-TBI. Fair to say I wasn’t initially happy about it, but I did ultimately find it blessing from the perspective I could look at doing and enjoying different things. Aside from part-time work I undertake I have befriended a much older chap with Parkinson’s and Dementia, who has just before Xmas been given another 6mths. After I got my driving licence a couple of years ago, and am a volunteer driver for a local Hospice. I hope me personal experience is of some help, good luck with it x

[Daisyyy in reply to DTBI]

Thanks thats really helped. I suppose its learning and finding a way to manage and cope with the change. I just feel like nobody understands when its your head as you cant see the damage and because i look fine and have my make up on people just assume I'm fine. Ive not long had a baby who keeps me going and keeps me going ans if i didnt have him i probs would not be here now hes my world. I was working full time before maternity but I'm looking into going back part time as i was struggling before so cant imagine its going to be any easier when i go back now i have a baby and my own home, it would just be to much to manage on my own as well as working full time x

[Joemaskell34]

Yeah same as me the voices are a nightmare sometimes

[Daisyyy in reply to Joemaskell34]

Is their a certain time when it happens to you? Mine is usually at night

[Joemaskell34 in reply to Daisyyy]

I get them all day and night

[Joemaskell34]

They are my friends and enemies

[Daisyyy in reply to Joemaskell34]

At the moment mine aren't speaking directly to me or about me but i hear them and noise and talking. I am worried incase they get worse and ive spoken to my GP yesterday and he didnt really no what to say and hes booked me in to see him in a weeks time.