People with brain injuries are sometimes judged by others as being lazy for struggling to gain positive momentum in their lives following an injury. This can be the inability to get a job, or maintain the same active lifestyle they had before the injury. The effects of a brain injury are psychological, and may be mostly invisible to the people around them. The ability to motivate oneself and organize activities is often severely altered by a brain injury, and fatigue is a very common side effect. Depression and anxiety can manifest themselves following changes in brain activity as well.

A Canadian woman named Tanya Jewell recently spoke at a brain injury awareness conference and said, “a little bit of compassion and understanding would go a long way,” in regards to the fatigue factor and other hard-to-recognize issues that brain injury patients face during recovery.

Where to Find Support Groups for Brain Injuries

• Brain Injury Alliance Colorado: This Colorado brain injury organization sets people up with support groups in their area. You can find a support group near you on a map on their website. They also offer online support groups for those who cannot make meetings.
• Outdoor Mindset: This non-profit connects people recovering from neurological issues with each other, with a focus on outdoor activities. This is a great resource for patients with love for the outdoors who are experiencing challenges from their injuries causing them to be less active. They plan outdoor meet-up activities and other support activities and operate out of Colorado.
• Brain Injury Association of America: This nationwide organization links patients with several resources, including many treatment options, support resources, and how to get involved raising brain injury awareness.

We live in a country that has many resources to help people recovering from brain injuries. Unfortunately, many people do not realize the full extent of the recovery process and how many of the side-affects may be hard to detect. Many times, an insurance company or coverage provider will not offer enough for the full recovery process from a traumatic brain injury. An experienced brain injury attorney can help you get the coverage you need for symptoms that are often ignored, or experienced later in the recovery process.