Anyone who’s sustained a concussion, or a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has, by definition, had a traumatic experience. TBI’s primarily occur when there’s been an impact to the head, although it’s possible to have a TBI without hitting your head. Sustaining a concussion is not only a physical trauma to the body and brain but can oftentimes also be psychologically traumatic.
Psychological Trauma and PTSD
The majority of patients we treat at the Colorado Concussion Clinic have sustained TBIs during motor vehicle collisions and falls, with a few who have been injured while playing sports or who have been assaulted. Psychological trauma can occur from these instances if they were life-threatening or were even perceived to be life-threatening.
Some, but not all people who’ve had a TBI will go on to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can involve nightmares, flashbacks (feeling as if the trauma is happening again), and/or distressing memories of the traumatic experience. It often involves feeling anxious when reminded of the traumatic event, whether reminded by people, places or things that seem related to the trauma. People experiencing PTSD tend to avoid thinking or talking about their trauma due to the distress that it causes them. PTSD can also include other symptoms such as irritability, difficulty concentrating, sleep problems, feeling “super alert,” and easily startled.
How to treat PTSD
There are a number of treatments for PTSD, including different types of mental health therapy and medication. If PTSD is really interfering with your life and you are interested in trying medication, talk to your doctor about options to help support you.
Talk therapy may be helpful with teaching coping skills, problem-solving, and helping you feel supported. However, it doesn’t always get to the root of healing the trauma. There are some trauma-specific therapies, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Brainspotting that aim to help the part of the brain that trauma directly impacts, the limbic system.
Brainspotting as a Trauma Therapy
At the Colorado Concussion Clinic, we offer a trauma therapy called Brainspotting. It can help access and process trauma in a way that talk therapy often is unable to. It can help target emotions, memories, and body sensations that are connected to the traumatic experience. In doing so, this treatment can allow the brain and body to more fully process the trauma to help it resolve and heal.
Next Steps
If you have had a TBI and believe you are experiencing symptoms of PTSD, don’t hesitate to reach out and get scheduled with a medical provider and/or our mental health therapist. You’ve been through enough. Don’t suffer alone!