Living with a brain injury has its own set of challenges, and it can become extremely frustrating when people think they understand fully how you feel. Even though they seem to want to be there to provide support, in all honesty, they do not have a full understanding of how it feels. There are not enough words to be able to describe how living with a brain injury is frustrating, both physically and mentally.
“Oh, but you look fine; you should be okay to do it proficiently.” It’s annoying to think that the naked eye is so oblivious to our daily struggles. It’s real: the fatigue, the brain fog, the struggle to communicate, the struggle to speak at times, and even the insomnia as we often lay awake at night. Oh, let’s not forget daily challenges with mental health, such as Anxiety and Depression. Every person is different, which makes every brain injury different, and unlike what textbooks say, every brain injury has its own set of challenges and differences.
I sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury at the age of two-and-a-half, back in 1999, when treatments for brain injuries were in the early phases of understanding and effective treatments were being developed or in the testing phases like the Hyperbaric Chamber.
The Hyperbaric Chamber is where patients sit in an enclosure, wearing a suit and helmet to then be exposed to 100% pure oxygen to help with recovery as “the air pressure is increased 2 to 3 times higher than normal air pressure. Under these conditions, your lungs can gather much more oxygen than would be possible breathing pure oxygen at normal air pressure” (Mayo Clinic, 2023).
Though it has not been an easy road, I have completed a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology; which was online. I would like to support individuals who have brain injuries by providing validation and support and a full understanding of the frustrating feelings living with a brain injury has on daily life.