Extreme Emotions After Brain Injury + How it Affects Relationships 

Junk food makes me feel like I'm on street drugs, health food makes me feel like a genius, lack of sleep makes me suicidal... I have been hit by a car twice while on foot at the ages 11 and 17 that were going 45 mph. Life is very hard when your brain feels inflamed half the time and can't concentrate. I'm glad I'm not alone.

Your video helped me more in 19 minutes than any of these doctors. I used to be animated in voice and speech but after someone I once called my best friend shoved me into my dresser I bashed my head on the corner of it and blacked out briefly never got a brain scan since I was too scared. Flat affect ever since, emotions 0 or 100 no in between and lowered empathy and impulsive decision making. Can relate to others here saying junk food makes them feel like they're on drugs. Swore off artificial sugar and wheat 2 years ago because they make me feel suicidal. I like your analogy about having a sprained ankle and expecting not feel pain or to walk perfectly. The more mindfulness and patience we apply to ourselves the better life can truly be. Eating high fat/high protein has helped me more than any medication. Really beautiful how you combine your personal experiences with your music. Keep it up you're really positively impacting people more than many doctors.

I’ve got frontal lobe damage, I can’t control my emotions. When my mum, dad, step mum, step dad and espy my sister died I felt blank. Relationships are effected badly, I am so impulsive I know what I’m doing is the wrong thing to do yet I’ll still do it. If I feel someone is not resorting me how I want I’ll not let it settle in my brain, I won’t stop thinking about it, I’ll keep going on about it, bombarding them with messages. If someone has seen my message and not replied I’ll get so anxious that they’re annoyed with me. I risk take beyond belief, I’m impulsive, I cannot problem solve, I can’t look at situations logically, my brain gets overloaded with a problem I can’t stop thinking about it.

Dating a guy that had a brain aneurysm, i love him and its so hard...so difficult. Thank you for tjis as i am trying to understand him becuz i love him so much

You overreact from anything that even slightly would be difficult. It's just so wild

I experience this almost daily. Emotional highs and lows are crazy! Anger is terrible. I know I get out of control but struggle to bring myself down. I have learned to walk away but that takes several minutes to figure out. 4months into my journey.

Having a brain injury and controlling our emotions is so difficult. I will start crying when I’m overstimulated and start apologizing bc I can’t stop the tears even though I don’t want to cry. 4 years in and very very difficult still.

I have struggled so much with all this and the lack of compassion from people towards my recovery

Lonely that’s how I feel

I definitely understood 3 years I’m coming up on. It’s like being a new person trying to figure out who you are

I'm just exhausted all the time, everything takes 3 times longer to complete.

Felt like you were speaking directly to me. My situation has been exactly the same for decades. Thank you for sharing, Cristabelle.

Very much what I experience daily. Well done for putting into words.

Yeah, I had a TBI at the age of 21. Lost my ability to read and took years to improve. All the while, struggled with emotional self control. Time does it's healing.

Counselors or therapists just make u crazy

I have horrible outbursts ..makes me so upset that I can't control it

This video was literally a blessing thankyou so much

Well, if feels ODD to hear someone talk like she understands me. Thats never happened. Ive been dealing with these things since I was 16... & Im 45 !!! I had a Huge Hematoma with NO HELP from Dr’s. I went into my shell, as I’ve always called it. Lucky I had Great Friends that I could just give a look & they knew we needed to Leave NOW. I didn’t even put 2 & 2 together until a few years ago when I heard someone talking about the effects of a TBI. I Always knew something was wrong but there was No Name. It feels good, Thank You.......

Thank you, I use videos like this to help me recognize and express to other what is happening. Will have have family member watch the video you/other person explain what is happening to me. Because I can not find the words.

After my car accident back in 9/11/23 I have had a hard time processing daily task. I have had a hard time dealing with depression. I have had thoughts of suicide

So true.... you can't really put into words 😫.... it's crazy... early on, I was irritable with my family... me not wanting my family to deal with this.... I've been irritable outside my family at work and other family that don't live with me.... it's like I'm channeling it to others at work, etc... It's like I'm protecting my kids and wife but now target outside my house....

When this video started I thought to myself I wish someone with a tbi was the one speaking and then I related to almost everything you said

I had documented tbi in 97, 99, and 2008 following car wrecks and several undocumented concussions My life has been nothing but a mess and I’ve sought treatment and always told the same thing My emotions are extreme and unpredictable I’ve felt im going crazy and not sure how to fix it

I deal with very intense anger and sometimes don't want to leave my apartment....

I got to the point that i stopped trying to get others to understand. I started thinking about what Jesus said.Love your neighbor as yourself and so you have to love yourself in order to love others.So I stop trying to be people pleaser. Because you're a fear of people please.Are you open yourself up for abuse?And our heavenly father doesn't want us to be abused. You can love. Your neighbor as yourself but you gotta love yourself first. And that requires accepting what happened to you and and if other people can't understand well, it's not your problem. You're doing your guess and that's all that God has from ybut believe me, prayer helps. It really does especially when you feel this terrible motion coming on. You have to stop and you have to say oh, please give me the strength to keep ongoing or please help calm my heart or please help me with my thoughts. Oh, God, please. I need your strength. Because people never really understand what's going to your head.Even your counselor may not understand but our heavenly father.It does and he realizes that we're imperfect

I deal with repeating myself,poor temper,dysregulation,poor multitasking skills,poor short term memory etc... sad😢... I have given up in love because I do not believe any woman could cope with my TBI -"quirks"... Sad...

Thanks. I have a tbi and everything you said is very relatable.

my brain injury may feel like a headache to a migraine headache that seems it never goes away.

I m told by my doctor that I will never go beyond 60 percent of memory...throughout my life

I needed these about 3 years ago. My s.o. had a stroke and I had never dealt with anything like it. A life saving surgery they weren't sure she was going to survive. Within 2 years everything described here came out and I had no idea how to deal. The relationship ended and not a word has been spoken in a couple months now. A jump in to another relationship on her part and now I am grieving a loss. I tried so hard to help her see things and it became frustrating to me. Felt robbed of the relationship we had. The person with the injury isn't the only survivor in these instances.

Mine was a result of domestic violence. Super hard.

Frontal lobe damage from accident from 2004 and still trying to figure it out. Flat affect when I need to show more and outburst when I should have not shown more. Not crying at funerals but crying when in isn’t a normal crying moment. Once in a while for a moment it’s like the old way of thinking becomes at least observable and just as quick as it observed it is lost.

Thank you so much for your help, you are an angel on earth for doing this for so many. We do feel alone, we have god, who keeps us going, but to have humans be with us,helps to

I really wish there was more help for families. I don’t know how to get my child’s father to understand that even though he can’t help a lot of these behaviors, his reactions due to his ABI are really hurting our daughter who is little and can’t understand. I try so hard to do the right thing by both of them but sometimes I have to put our daughter first, otherwise she grows up thinking that it is ok to be treated this way, and her feelings are hurt all the time. I feel like I am the enemy and I hate it so so much. I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t know how to help someone who doesn’t realize what they’re doing is hurting the people they love and who love them, who won’t recognize that this is an issue enough to try and get help for it. I cry so much about this.

From my experience, where other people interpret my reactions as frustration or anger, it's actually distress because I have lost control or can't express myself in ways other people accept as being "normal". I'm so sorry you're going through this too. Good luck with your continued progress ❤

Yes... I've had times where I feel like I can't control my emotions..... I've had times where I got lost coming to work.... I had a moment of feeling blank like I didn't know where I was... it feels like it lasted 1 or 2 minutes. I was driving, I knew I was in my city but I didn't recognize my location. This was my daily route to work..... but I got lost for a moment. My location became recognizable after me trying to figure it out....

I know firsthand how difficult emotions are to deal with firsthand wirh TBI..

Since my fall (tbi) relations are impossible, people generally seem to think I'm just another asshole and I'm at the point that maybe they are right

I have a brain injury since 2016 & you are spot on l feel the same way & act like this & l cant explain myself.

Thanks for the information. I had my TBI in 2019 and it made my gf not want to be with me because of my constant mood changes and how I can’t run yet.

It is so helpful to hear the experiences of others with an ABI. Both of my daughters married within 10 years of my ABI in 2003 and although I was proud and happy, I could not cry at their weddings. I no longer cry at sad movies but I still 'know' it's sad. Thankfully, I also don't have the opposite - emotional outbursts or anger. 20 years later, it can still take days to realize that someone was rude to me while I just sat there smiling and completely unaware of the rudeness or sarcasm. During covid, like most, I became much more reclusive. However in the past 6 months I have purposely become involved with my church as much as I'm able and find social activity does help. Still have some embarrassing moments in conversation or just greeting an acquaintance but am trying to gently inform. ABIs are a perplexity for sure!

just today i went from feeling about 60% normal, to suicidal and angry, to hyper sensitive, brain dead to empty in about 3 hours. it is like this mostly because I ate mostly bread yesterday. but I don;t have any supports and its been 18 months since I was tortured and knocked out over 200 times over 8 months and shaken with a jackhammer till i puked and passed out. Havn;t seen a doctor since i was threatened to be stabbed and even if i did, i couldn't make words or even make sense until 9 months later. having ptsd and this is making my life a nothing, have no money, just sold the last i had for 4$. the food i get form the food bank makes my symptoms worse, but i can't afford to eat properly. my brain needs protein, seem red meats can help, but that is a item i could only consume for about 2 weeks over the last 18 months. About 6 weeks ago (can't keep track these days) I was able to see a video about anger managment then that is when I was able to identify the emotion. I went to a Elvis concert and he started to sing and tears rolled down my eyes. no facial expressions mostly. I did have a small short small grin happen, so I know I have emotions and can express them, but with no support from my country (Canada) I'm having difficulty to keep going and might just let the anger take over and take the law into my own hand before ending it.

Since my brain injury people don't give a shit but I'm all good with that I know I can only depend on myself proud of you x

Thank you again. It's so good to hear advice from a survivor!

Spot on every thing you have said are we same person lol keep strong keep positive keep going dont give up giving up isn't a option proud of you very x

Thanks you soo much!!! Felt loss for a little my wife is going through this after our accident 3 months ago 😢 Thanks you❤

humanity is so stupid and corrupt that there are no adult conversations anywhere anymore. as if there ever was. this topic merits astute conversationa and yet all we find online is childish yammer.

a very painful road-but I know Christ my saviour is faithful

I finally understand "friendship" or "love'is now.

I was in a severe horseback riding back when I was 21 I'm now almost 40 even though I look normal in how I walk and move and for the most part in how I talk, it still feels like a constant struggle more often and and nobody seize the amount of effort it takes each day and if you try to talk about it people start looking at you like you're making excuses and looking for sympathy when all you want is some understanding that you have things that you're struggling with and it doesn't seem like you're ever able to explain what you're going through or how you're trying to be the best version of yourself in the midst of it's all

I’m so glad I stumbled on your channel. I see this in my son (TBI) and often feel helpless how to help him or respond. Writing music is a great outlet for him, too. Thanks for sharing your journey.

I just found out yesterday that I have a TBI from a car accident 2 months ago today. Your video encompasses everything I have been experiencing since the impact. Thank you very much for this insightful and honest feedback, you have helped me understand I’m not alone ❤ I’m struggling to learn who this new person is that I’ve become 😢

After my car accident and I had a concussion, I was flooding. I couldn't handle anybody talking to me. I couldn't handle asnoises even in apartment anywhere. I hate it hearing people talk. I felt like running away like get me on here. Get me out of here and it was how and people thought I was crazy and I thought I was crazy and then I went to a stage where I would sit there and I wouldn't get any housework done nothing for weeks. I forgot how to days I forgot. I'll do that and I thought what the heck is wrong. Just it's not me. What I hated is people saying oh you should have more self control. There are times when you try so hard and it just doesn't work. But as time goes on it gets better and when you can see some changes that our positive you feel so happy that you have at least seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Once thing that happened to me I started learning a different language and I started liking a different culture and learning the music. One thing that is wonderful is that you're never at a stage where you're not changing or not getting better.It just takes time there is still hope. I hate the Trying as if I was some continental basket case. Once you have a concussion, you are never the same person.It's almost like you're Morf into a different person.

Back to work last week sometimes i get to feeling like a crazy person thanks for your work

Exactly spot freaking on

i love you- thank you.. also awareness on abuse for people suffering recovery tbi :(

Does anyone know of an online support group for brain injured people? I would love to feel I'm not the only one with my problems but yet, get tips and advice how to deal with the problems! 😃 thank you!!

My tears are flowing. Mostly joyful. Thank you so so much for doing this! Much love 💜🤙🏼

Not trying to compare but fortunately God allowed me to retain some emotional function after my TBI . I still kind of flip flop between not knowing exactly how I feel and having so much emotion that it causes my brain to think I am in a fight or flight situation. That’s not the reason I stumbled over this video. I clicked on this video because I was having trouble getting dates due to my TBI . I have been looking for advice on this topic for a long time now and searched many dating videos. There are very few disabled dating videos in comparison to dating videos for fully abled people. Life is tough and if you’re nobody really gives a damn. We are just told to man up or people sit there and lie to us and say oh just be yourself there’s somebody out there for you. I am tired of the bull shit

Changes is hard.

Yep, outburtsts

I had a head injury in my car accident about 4 months ago my wife just left me because she said she's scared of me

Has anyone struggled with awkwardness after tbi years later annoyed easy

You make me happy, thank you for this video. 👍🏽❤️

I’m glad you said that, I don’t want to upset people I want to be on my own but everyone keeps coming round. I feel like screaming at them. I don’t want to up set everyone. It’s only been 4 months since my fall . I get burnt out really fast and don’t like listening to small talk it’s so unimportant.

Gurl I had a tbi in 2021 and my emotion is very strong and let me say it has great size and still works post brain injury

It’s absolutely crazy, tbi emotions , almost 20 years for me

I dont even know who I am anymore if that makes any sense. I hate it.....I feel like ive legitimately fryed my Brain ....Sub Arachnoid Brain Hemorrhage 9-26-2020

Thank you so much for the insight. This means so much to me in dealing with my son and the TBI he has to deal with.

This has helped so much thank yurrrr

I recently met someone who has TBI. This video really helps.

You have no idea how this helped me. Thank you!

exactly my experience. thank you for articulating every detail so well!

It’s absolutely crazy, tbi emotions

Yes it's great you made this vid. It's all about me daily. It's hard but I do my best to making myself better.. it little victories.

My girlfriend 2 nights ago collapsed in the kitchen into a seizure that ended with me giving her CPR for 3 minutes until the paramedics showed up, the paramedics took 30 minutes of CPR to get her out of flatlining. Its day 2, she is breathing through a tube. This is so hard for me, whenever something bad happens she is there for me always, but she can't be here for this. I have to be strong for her and keep hope high but its so hard. I just hope she can get through this, her pupils respond to light and 2 days from now she will have her MRI

This is so hard😢

How about pseudobulbar affect? Is crying, laughing or smiling uncontrollable. In situations that doesnt fit

I've had that not crying thing. I'm overexcited talking to an old classmates of mine. I've felt blank bf. Verbalisation is hard sometimes. I hey told to think logically.

I have a tbi when I was 10 then a concussion from back in June I have always had emotional issues.

I get angry at lack of common sense. I don't like change, caused by someone else, that I can't change in the moment. An example of that, is. Needing to go somewhere, but. Being dependent on the actions of someone else, who has a different set of priorities. I do ride a bike in traffic, and always keep in mind the traffic laws. So I have a good idea, how the traffic is going to behave on certain roads. At certain times of the day, depending on the day of the week.

I rather avoid argument conflict confrontations most possible often.

Thank you for the information. Bless you

Thank you for sharing💞 its nice to know someone else is going thru the same things I have also experienced. You are describing sooooo much of my feelings and struggles 💞

Ppl say I don’t get sarcasm , ya right

My emotions are all over the place.

Feeling flat thats me 1 year after tbi and anger too those are my only two emotions after that car accident, im glad you touch the subject, and also gives me hope when you say its going to get better, im into bicycling just to keep myself into something that helps, thank you for your efforts to help.

I feel like this lady knows me. Everything she says here describes me.

I sent a message to my mother after this with a link. So thank you

I'm not alone 😢

What if you got your head on the right slammed at a hospital 4 yrs ago

thank you this is so helpful🙏

I am not good at reading the room...

I hope u had an mri

Girl you on point 😂

Because others kept trying to tell me there is nothing wrong with me I started to belive it too. I hid and tried to overcompensate with evrything. Until I went back to school and realized what I used to do isn't working I HAD to face the truth. Your channel helped me see that it's OK to have a new normal and I need to find new ways of doing things. Thank you.

Thank you for this. I’ve suffered from that for 24 years now front right lobe brain injury knowledge is power.

I also act much more introverted than I am. I love meeting new people. I do sales for a living, and I attend a lot of big industry conferences. I often have to leave and go somewhere quiet so my brain can digest all the stimuli. People think I'm shy....but I'm just trying to process things. I also yell at people a lot when I'm frustrated and/or tired.

I had a brain injury and I can’t relate to any of this.

Mindfulness is really important to track how you’re actually feeling and then having some core people that can be safe and supportive. Unfortunately not everyone has that support but there is endless mindfulness videos and breath work can help too, helps interrupt the fight or flight many get into when they’re overwhelmed. Good sleep and a lot of hydration is also really important along with a healthy diet, healthy fats, no sugar etc.