Mental Health Anyone know anything about Acquired Brain Injuries?

[bit_pattern]

If someone acquired a brain injury as a young child (say a shaken baby) do you think it's possible they could have gone undiagnosed for thirty years? If so, how would one go about getting a diagnosis?

 

[herbavore]

Here is what I found in one article:

What Are the Effects?

AHT often causes irreversible damage. In the worst cases, children die due to their injuries.

Children who survive may have:

partial or total blindness
hearing loss
seizures
developmental delays
impaired intellect
speech and learning difficulties
problems with memory and attention
severe mental retardation
cerebral palsy

Even in milder cases, in which babies looks normal immediately after the shaking, they may eventually develop one or more of these problems. Sometimes the first sign of a problem isn't noticed until the child enters the school system and exhibits behavioral problems or learning difficulties. But by that time, it's more difficult to link these problems to a shaking incident from several years before.

I think it is important to note that the symptoms can be from so many different factors that it would be impossible to pinpoint that this was the cause. Still, you may ask your doctor about it; maybe there are better ways to check for actual damage.

I think the most important thing is to focus on healing psychological scars. The physical brain is unbelievably adaptable but our emotional selves are far trickier to heal.

 

[bit_pattern]

Thanks. Not interested as much in healing psychological scars as I am in getting a diagnosis that would explain why I have been so spectacularly dysfunctional while still being quite cognitively high functioning. I have a friend with ABI and the similarities in our anti-social behaviours and emotional dysfunction is quite striking. I know my Dad was quite abusive and that at the age of about 4 I went into a state of shock that I never recovered from, I went from being a happy, smiling child to a severely withdrawn and non-engaging. Mum has said she thought maybe autism, due to the age, and also associated the change with a time when I drank a half a bottle of paracetamol liquid cough syrup.

I dunno

I also remember years ago being on a lot of meth and taking a dose of GHB to get some rest. I vividly remember lying in bed, not being able to breathe properly, every so often I could get a massive inhalation but every other breath I tried to take just wouldn't happen. I was alone and have no idea how long I was like that nor the period between breaths was. I kind of felt like if I hadn't have been so pinged on the ice that I probably would have died.

I've also suffered concussions during fights at school.

I think I should get a neuropsychological assessment done.

 

[bit_pattern]

My main problem is that I can't work, I can't last longer than three months in a job, and have to rely on unemployment payments that come with no-end of strings attached. I'm supposed to be starting uni again next week but am very likely about to become homeless (again, same with work, people think I'm fine and normal until I start weirding out, extreme social phobia, paranoia, dark, dark depression, anger problems - my mother is about to kick me out because her partner can't deal with me), so will have to drop out of uni. So I need to get some kind of pension or sickness benefit or I really am going to top myself soon. If it wasn't for the fact I've done a shitload of psychedelics and have a very tangible sense of what dying will feel like and that I'm shit scared I would have done it years ago by now.

 

[bit_pattern]

FWIW

I'm now officially homeless but I've spoken to a neuropsychological assessment centre. After I spoke with one outfit and explained my history, the nurse was adamant that I needed an assessment but they charged $1250 with no medicare rebates. Then I contacted another outfit, after a few questions they told me not only that I needed the assessment but that I qualified for full government subsidies, the only catch is a six month waiting list. Finally, I might be a step closer to figuring out whey I am so fucked up. They tend to think I have either a developmental neurological disorder or I have acquired a brain injury at some point in my life, either way I'm one step closer to answering why I am so fucked up with the EQ of a five year old. Although, my brothers partner (they are housing me temporarily atm) suggested that I might be bipolar, she pointed out aspects of my behaviour that I had never seen from her perspective and made a pretty convincing case.

 

[herbavore]

Figuring myself out has been a lifelong adventure--not all of it pleasant, that's for sure. It sounds like you are close to getting some help and that's good news. But no matter what you find, no matter whether you get a benefit or not that will make it possible not to work, you are still going to have to figure out how to move beyond "I am so fucked up" in your own thinking; because by stating that as a fact about yourself you can get really stuck there. Social phobia, paranoia, depression and anger don't sound like states you would want to spend your life in. It sounds like early trauma played a pivotal role in your life and I'm really sorry that you have had to go through hell because of an abusive father.

 

[TriputoryHeadicine]

Figuring myself out has been a lifelong adventure--not all of it pleasant, that's for sure. It sounds like you are close to getting some help and that's good news. But no matter what you find, no matter whether you get a benefit or not that will make it possible not to work, you are still going to have to figure out how to move beyond "I am so fucked up" in your own thinking; because by stating that as a fact about yourself you can get really stuck there. Social phobia, paranoia, depression and anger don't sound like states you would want to spend your life in. It sounds like early trauma played a pivotal role in your life and I'm really sorry that you have had to go through hell because of an abusive father.

Aspects of BP's story I can relate to- I wanted to say how important I think the letters in bold are. What u focus on magnifies- BP Find a support group amigo. I'm happy to talk if you ever want to chat.

You're great Herbavore ; )