What Types of Changes Can You Expect? What Factors Determine Your Susceptibility to Personality Changes?
Many of the consequences of a bump or blow to the head are tangible—headaches, balance issues and cognitive challenges are easily observable. Others, though, are much more subtle, including the potential for changes in your personality. While the brain controls motor function and certain rational processes, it also determines your unique character and personality. It should come as no surprise, then, that a concussion or other traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lead to temporary or even permanent changes in your personality.
What Are the Specific Types of Personality Changes Commonly Seen in People Who Have Suffered a Concussion?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) that identifies mental disorders lists five different ways that a patient’s personality may be altered by any level of traumatic brain injury:
- The person may be prone to rapid and seemingly random mood shifts
- The patient may engage in more aggressive behavior
- Concussion victims often become apathetic, with little interest in anything
- The person may experience unwarranted and severe paranoia
- The patient may be unable to follow social norms, particularly by failing to suppress socially unacceptable behavior.
What Factors Affect the Likelihood of Personality Changes after a TBI?
Researchers have found that a number of criteria can help predict whether the victim of a concussion or TBI will be prone to personality changes:
- The severity of the injury—As a general rule, the more serious the injury, the greater the risk of personality problems and the longer amount of time before personality changes are no longer a problem
- The extent to which the concussion involves general cognitive impairment—Patients who experience difficulty making decisions, concentrating or engaging in other intellectual activities are generally more inclined to suffer personality changes
- The location of the traumatic brain injury—People who suffer injury to the frontal lobe are more likely to have changes in personality
- The cause of the injury—Studies show that people who suffered TBI or concussion from the blast force of an explosion were more likely to exhibit personality changes than those who received a bump or blow to the head from a blunt object
Contact Us to Set Up an Appointment
At Advantage Healthcare Systems, we have extensive experience working successfully with individuals who suffer any type of concussion, TBI or traumatic brain injury. Call us toll-free at 1-877-487-8289 or fill out the form provided below to schedule an assessment. We offer locations across Texas, including Fort Worth, Dallas and San Antonio.