TBI and the Brain: 5 Ways TBIs Affect the Brain and How Brain Training Helps

Recovering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI), can be a scary time full of uncertainties. How much damage has been done? What effects will it have? To what extent is recovery possible?

When it comes to TBI and the brain, there are a number of ways a brain injury can affect the brain and its processes. The effects someone with a TBI experiences will vary depending on the part of the brain that has been injured. 

Here are five common ways a TBI can affect the brain.

1. Learning and Memory 

A TBI can damage the brain’s ability to take in, store, and retrieve information. Someone with a TBI may struggle to remember events from long before the injury, as well as upcoming events like scheduled appointments. 

They may also struggle to complete tasks that require steps to be done in order—even repetitive tasks like doing laundry.

Someone with TBI-related memory problems may forget entire events or conversations, or bits and pieces of them. What’s more, when they forget something, their mind may try to fill in the gaps by blending parts of different conversations or events together, creating a memory that didn’t actually happen.

Memory problems can be made worse by lack of sleep, illness, mental health struggles, stress, or side effects from certain medications.

A few things that can help if you struggle with memory:

• Create a structured schedule of daily tasks that includes appointments, errands, taking medication, and so on
• Use memory aids like to-do lists, calendars, and phone or computer notifications
• Store important items like keys in a set location, so you always know where they are
• Take the time to review and practice new information that you want to commit to memory
• Use tools like automated bill pay to reduce the number of things you need to remember
• Try to get consistent rest
• Use stress reduction techniques like meditation or yoga
• Discuss possible side effects of current and new medications (both prescription and over the counter) with your doctor or pharmacist

2. Reasoning and Problem Solving

Reasoning and problem solving can be difficult for someone with a TBI as well. In fact, for someone with a brain injury, it can be difficult to even recognize there is a problem, much less know how to solve it.

Someone with a TBI may struggle to analyze information. When it comes to solving a problem, they may either struggle to determine the best solution or get stuck on one solution without considering others. In other instances, they may make decisions without taking the time to think through the consequences.

An individual with a TBI might also find it difficult to maintain flexibility in their thinking. They may struggle to adjust to new situations or changes to their routine, and may generally be more rigid in their thinking.

If you struggle with reasoning or problem solving skills, you may find it helpful to work out problems in writing. Cognitive rehabilitation with a speech therapist or psychologist can help as well.

3. Language and Communication 

It’s common for someone with a TBI to struggle with communication. A brain injury can make it difficult to both express thoughts in words and to understand what others have said.

A person with a TBI may find it hard to start or follow conversations or think of the right words to say. You may also notice them going off on tangents more often when they’re speaking, or that they don’t always think before they speak.

A TBI can also affect complex language skills like expressing thoughts in an organized way, understanding sarcasm or jokes, reading emotions or social cues, and even nonverbal communication.

When communicating with someone who struggles with communication skills due to a TBI:

• DON’T talk down to them
• Try not to get frustrated: use a gentle tone of voice
• Ask follow up questions to ensure they understand what you’re saying
• Slow down a little when you speak
• Use simple language
• Decide on a signal you’ll use to let the person know they’ve gotten off topic

4. Attention and Concentration

Someone with a TBI may struggle to focus, be easily distracted or restless, and have trouble working on more than one thing at a time. They may find it hard to finish projects, have long conversations, or sit still for longer periods of time.

Struggles with attention skills can also impact other cognitive skills like memory and reasoning.

If you have attention struggles, you may find it helpful to:

• Remove as many distractions as possible
• Do one task at a time
• Take breaks as needed
• Get plenty of rest (fatigue can worsen attention and concentration issues) 

Also, to improve anything, you need to practice. So be intentional about practicing your attention skills on simple tasks like reading a paragraph or doing a simple math problem. Gradually increase the difficulty of your practice tasks or add in distractions to challenge yourself even more.

5. Processing and Understanding Information

A TBI can affect a person’s ability to process and understand information. It can take them longer to understand what others are saying or to comprehend written information. It may be hard to follow directions or keep up with the plot of a TV show or movie. 

Someone with a TBI might also be slower to react or take longer to complete physical tasks (even routine activities like brushing teeth or getting dressed).

If you or someone you know struggles with slow processing speed, there are a number of things that can help, including:

• Decreasing distractions
• Focusing closely on the thing you’re trying to understand
• Giving yourself time to think through the information
• Re-reading something as often as you need to
• Taking notes
• Summarizing what you’ve read in your own words
• Asking others to repeat what they’ve said or word it differently; or repeating what they’ve said back to them to make sure you understand

TBI and the Brain: How Brain Training With LearningRx Can Help

Recovering from a traumatic brain injury can be a long, difficult journey filled with ups and downs. Thankfully, today there are a number of ways someone with a TBI can work toward improvement and recovery.

At LearningRx, we don’t diagnose or treat TBI, but our brain training programs can help TBI patients strengthen the cognitive skills affected by their injury. Because a TBI can affect core cognitive skills (like those listed in this article), strengthening those skills with brain training exercises can help bring about improvement. 

In fact, we have worked with hundreds of clients with the difficulties listed above (and many more) to improve their cognitive skills and, in turn, enhance their lives.

Want to find out if brain training could make a good addition to your TBI recovery journey? 

First, take our brian skills assessment, which will give us a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses and help us determine which LearningRx programs are right for your needs. Then you’ll be assigned to a personal brain trainer who will work one-on-one with you, taking you through exercises that will stretch and strengthen your weak cognitive skills.

Ready to get started? Contact us today!