After suffering from a head injury, your life will change in ways that you may not have ever anticipated. For example, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has the ability to alter your personality and behavioral patterns, making it difficult for your loved ones to even recognize you, or for you to recognize yourself.
Of course, this can result in strain and tension in your interpersonal relationships. But can it get to the point of severity where it puts your marital life at risk?
Changes after a TBI
The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center looks at the way head injuries and brain injuries can potentially influence and affect your relationships. As mentioned, TBIs have the ability to alter your behaviors and personality to the point that even your loved ones may have trouble recognizing you or seeing the person you were before the incident. In some cases, these changes will clear up and vanish over the healing process, though it may take years. Other times, these changes will stick around for a lifetime.
The effect on your marriage
Of course, this puts more tension in an already tense situation. Your spouse will likely have to take over duties and responsibilities that you can no longer manage in your state of recovery. On top of that, you may start lashing out at them due to impulse control issues and trouble coping with stressful situations, which both serve as common effects of TBI damage.
It is possible to get through these turbulent times and negative changes together. However, there is no shame in recruiting a little outside help in the form of therapy or counseling in the meantime.