What Does It Mean to Have Traumatic Brain Injury?

TBI as defined by the people who are living with it ...

BrainLine.org asked its online community to share their personal definitions of traumatic brain injury (TBI).  The list below captures some of the many responses so generously provided by people with TBI.

Please help us make a larger impact in the world. At the bottom of this post, please share your own personal definition of TBI.

via Pinterest

Every individual’s experience with traumatic brain injury is unique, but there are many common symptoms and emotions. Anger, fear, sadness, and anxiety may be accompanied by difficulties with memory, pain, and the challenges of maintaining relationships.

We encourage you to add your own definitions in the comments section below.

A puzzle … all the pieces are there but in the wrong order.

—Barbara

When the cursor disappears from your mental computer screen.

—Dave

Brain fog, confusion, difficulty learning new things, being able to be “high-functioning” but being very slow at it.

—Mary

An invisible thief.

—Lisa

Devastating. Exhausting. Widely misunderstood.

—Jules

Scary. I look the same but I feel like someone else.

—Ann-Michel

MIA or AWOL … Missing in Action or Away Without Leaving!

—Trish

An invisible memory-taker, mood-changer, life-changer!

—Meg

Like being under a constant waterfall and I’m just trying to catch my breath and not drown!

—Angie

Thinking with speed bumps.

—John

Like an earthquake in my brain that knocked down bridges and damaged highways and knocked out some —but not all —lines of communication. Some of these things get rebuilt more quickly than others, and some are easily re-damaged.

—Alison

Like having everything in your life suspended in Jell-O, and just when you reach out for something, the Jell-O gets blended.

—Indy

A family affair … when a family member has one, it affects everyone.

—Stephanie

A constant struggle for the rest of your life … you know how you used to be and you want your life back … but it won't happen … it's like living in thick fog.

—Christy

Scrambled egg between my ears.

—Graham

The absolute hardest thing that you can imagine going through!! Unbelievably frustrating and isolating.

—Chelsea

via Post Concussion Syndrome Awareness Worldwide

Please join our advocacy community so that we make a larger impact in the world. Please share your own personal definition of TBI below. We thank you.