Can a brain injury cause personality changes?

Suffering a blow to the head in an auto accident can inflict a variety of health problems. Some people experience paralysis or problems with the nerves or muscles which require long term rehabilitation. However, a traumatic brain injury does not have to damage your motor functions in order to cause you serious problems. 

Following a head injury, some people start to behave differently. This is because a traumatic brain injury can produce personality changes. Even if you have not suffered any physical injuries like broken bones, a TBI could still make you act in ways that you would not normally behave. 

Changes in behavior following a TBI

The Mayo Clinic provides some background into the various changes TBI patients may experience in their behavior. A brain injury might damage your ability to restrain your behavior. As a result, you could take risks you would not otherwise engage in. Exercising self control may be much harder. You might lash out at other people during conversations even though there is no reason to do so. 

A brain injury could also swing your emotional state the other way, into depression and timidity. You might have problems sleeping. You could withdraw from social experiences. And if you have developed problems listening or speaking, you might withdraw from others even more. You could also experience mood swings so that you feel happy one minute and sad the next. 

Dealing with brain injury problems

A brain injury is a dangerous health issue, so you should seek medical attention following a serious auto accident or any incident that injures your head. Receiving a proper diagnosis may alert you to possible symptoms and allow you to start coping with your injury. You might also learn about other problems like cognitive issues that might frustrate your emotional state. Working to recover your ability to concentrate or speak may improve your overall emotional health.