Medical practitioners commonly acknowledge that substance
abuse plays a part in many cases of traumatic brain injury.
A victim may have engaged in recreational drug use or
alcohol abuse before the injury, the brain injury event may
have been caused by intoxication, and problems with
substance abuse can arise in victims of traumatic brain
injury after they are discharged from medical facilities.
What role does substance abuse play in traumatic brain
injury? What can you do if a loved one suffering from
traumatic brain injury is also struggling with drug or
alcohol abuse?
Who Is At Risk For Traumatic Brain Injury?
Alcohol abuse plays a major role in traumatic brain injury,
with many incidents occurring in relation to automobile
crashes or heavy equipment used while under the influence.
The medical community recognizes that young males are the
most likely to suffer from alcohol-related TBI. These
incidents may be isolated, but many fall within a context
of broader substance abuse: for example, a longitudinal
study at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio has found
that nearly 60 percent of their patient sample had prior
histories of drug and alcohol abuse.
Those with prior histories of serious substance abuse can
have an even harder time while hospitalized than those with
no prior history. This is due to the fact that many
patients are both recovering from their brain injuries and
dealing with the frustrating physical and emotional effects
of detoxification. The presence of drug or alcohol abuse
can also complicate diagnoses, as many of the symptoms of
overdose (respiratory depression, lethargy, confusion,
apathy, and disorientation) are similar to those of
traumatic brain injury. Thus, TBI is sometimes overlooked,
leading to complications and ongoing symptoms related to
insufficient care.
After Discharge: Substance Abuse A Risk For TBI Patients
The struggles with substance abuse do not necessarily end
when a traumatic brain injury patient is released from the
hospital and discharged to his or her home and community.
In fact, they are sometimes just beginning: the difficulty
of adjusting to personality changes, emotional upheaval,
inability to work, memory and cognitive deficits and other
effects of TBI can cause extreme stress and lead a
brain-injured patient to indulge in drugs or alcohol to
numb the pain. The brain injury victim may be unable to
report his or her own substance abuse problem due to memory
problems or speech disorders related to his or her TBI;
similarly, they may already exhibit external symptoms some
would associate with intoxication and may feel that it
doesn't matter if they actually indulge in those substances
since their physical symptoms already make them seem as if
they do.
What Can Families Do About Substance Abuse and Traumatic
Brain Injury?
Families can play a large role in both recognizing and
intervening in substance abuse in a traumatic brain injury
survivor. Since families usually take on a caretaker role
after a brain injured victim is discharged from intensive
medical care, they are often the first to recognize that
their family member has a substance abuse problem. Families
can help inform health care providers of these issues,
encourage their loved one to seek rehabilitation, and
refuse to enable the addictive behaviors of a traumatic
brain injury victim with a substance abuse problem. They
can also provide a supportive atmosphere that is drug-free
and oriented towards rehabilitation and high function.
However, substance abuse can have an enormous negative
impact on family members who suffer emotionally as their
loved one slides into dangerous habits. It is essential
that families of traumatic brain injury survivors with
associated substance abuse issues seek out their own
support, either through a professional counselor or a local
Al-Anon group, in order to cope with the ravages of
substance abuse.
Some families may wish to hire an experienced brain injury
attorney to help them address not only medical care for
substance abuse treatment, but the myriad of other issues
related to traumatic brain injury. TBI is stressful on
families and individuals; a savvy brain injury lawyer can
help navigate the system, obtain necessary services, and
even seek financial compensation for expenses such as lost
wages, future medical care, medication and hospital costs,
and pain and suffering.
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