Our series of articles during “Action for Brain Injury Week” have been in support of Headway, the Brain Injury Association’s campaign to raise awareness of brain injury.
As we come to the end of Brain Injury Awareness week, our article today focusses on recognising that although brain injury changes lives and life plans, there are also the most amazing achievements after brain injury that we should celebrate.
Headway’s campaign this year is “a life re-written”– focusing on identity following a brain injury. Headway have undertaken a detailed survey with over 3,500 brain injury survivors in the UK as well as family, partners, friends, and carers.
As part of the survey, survivors and their support network were asked to describe their greatest personal achievement since the injury. Please take the opportunity to read these inspiring stories in detail. The link is at the bottom of this article.
Headway report that several themes emerged from the achievements shared by survivors and their family and carers, which either related directly to the injury: to personal achievements or to the development of positive traits.
Survivors
With respect to the injury itself, survivors’ achievements in leaning to cope with the effects of brain injury and in understanding and thereby finding ways to manage are amazing. There are successes in survivors learning to accept their injury and finding a strength and resilience. One survivor in Headway’s report describes their achievement as “Learning to be the new me!! And accepting that I need to readapt.”
Other achievements reported by brain injury survivors include recognising when help is needed and how to access that support. Also, the most inspiring successes around regaining lost skills, learning new skills and being able to return to work or education and returning to activities/hobbies enjoyed before the injury as well personal achievements in family matters.
The positive personal traits reported by survivors after their injury was a greater appreciation of life, a desire to help others, adopting a healthier lifestyle and an increased empathy.
Carers
Carers have likewise reported the most amazing and inspiring achievements in the face of adversity. Carers achievements related directly to dealing with the injury itself as well as their caregiving role.
Headway report on the successes and achievements of carers in supporting their loved one with the effects of their injury and helping them to adjust; assisting to navigate the care system and to advocate for their loved one.
Carers comment on the most amazing achievements in coping with the acute stage of the injury and a strength, and fortitude within the family to maintain their relationship with the survivor and raise children alongside caring duties. The report illustrates how carers surveyed have successfully adapted and have maintained other aspects of life such as continuing to work or coping with their own personal health issues alongside care giving.
Carers report the development of positive traits after the injury, such as strength, resilience, assertiveness, and patience. One carer in the report says “that even when I have felt hopeless, I have never ever given up. I am resilient.”
The important inspiring messages of Headway’s report and adjusting to life after brain injury are set out in full below:
- Being patient with recovery and trusting that time will make things better.
- Looking forwards, not backwards.
- Accepting the ‘new you.’
- Getting support from others.
- Celebrating achievements, no matter how small.
- Focusing on the positives.
- Setting smaller goals.
- Being proud of yourself.
- Allowing yourself to grieve and heal.
- Taking one day at a time.
Headway have raised awareness of brain injury and its effects but also given messages of inspiring resilience, strength, and positivity.
For additional information and statistics please visit www.headway.org.uk/news-and-campaigns/campaigns/a-life-re-written.
You can find the full report at abi-week-2024-a-life-rewritten-an-exploration-into-the-ways-in-which-life-can-be-re-written-after-brain-injury.pdf (headway.org.uk)
Need support with your mental health after brain injury?
The Headway helpline offers a free and confidential support service to help anyone experiencing the effects relating to brain injury. Freephone: 0808 800 2244 | Email: [email protected].
