How should I react to a loved one after a brain injury?

Learning that a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury is likely to bring a feeling of dread. While the person is in the hospital, and later when recovering at home from the injury, you might feel like you always need to be around them to stay on top of the situation. Even when your loved one is going through this, it is still important that you take certain safety precautions to make sure all are doing as well as can be expected.

Should I feel bad for needing time away from my loved one?

You and your loved one probably both need a break from each other. While showing support is great, it is also important that you give your loved one time to rest. You need time to rest, too.

How should we behave when visiting our loved one?

Your loved one will need to maintain a peaceful environment as much as possible. You should try to limit visitors so that he or she can rest. Additionally, any visitors should speak in low tones to help maintain the peaceful environment. It is also important that you keep a positive attitude, as this can go a long way during treatment.

Family and friends of a brain injury patient are likely to feel some effects of the injury. While they don’t have to deal with physical pain, they do have to deal with the emotional trauma. In some cases, they also have deal with the financial impact of the injury. Seeking compensation may help to reduce the financial impact of the injury. It might also free up funds to allow family members to get the help they need as they work through the emotional trauma of the accident.

Source: braininjury101.org, “Important Tips for the Days and Weeks After the Injury or Diagnosis,” accessed Sep. 11, 2015