When dealing with trauma to the brain, the effects can sometimes be unpredictable. This can cause a lot of distress not only for the victim, but also their loved ones.
One of the biggest unexpected impacts of a brain injury involve a victim’s personality. In what ways can a personality change due to a head injury alone?
Focusing on frontal lobe injuries
Physiopedia discusses the impact of brain trauma on someone’s personality. Generally speaking, many of the most notable impacts on personality come from injury to the frontal lobe. This area of the brain controls things like a person’s temperament and impulse control.
Thus, people with frontal lobe injuries tend to become more impulsive and rash. They have a harder time thinking before acting or speaking. This can lead to them having a higher risk taking behavioral standard and saying things they do not mean, hurting the feelings of those around them.
They also have less control over their temper. This can mean that smaller and more numerous things may trigger their anger and irritation. They may lash out at others without much provocation either, which is a major shock especially if they did not have a personality prone to acting in such a way before.
Changes through healing
These changes can manifest in different ways throughout the healing process. In some cases, a person will retain their former personality and return to it after weeks or months. In other cases, these changes can last for years or even a lifetime, which is part of why many victims of brain injuries will seek compensation to cover matters like therapy.