Brain Injury Tips from Brain Injury Survivors

After sustaining a brain injury, individuals often feel overwhelmed and confused about how to navigate their new reality. The brain injury community is full of people who want to help their fellow survivors by sharing the knowledge they have accumulated in their own recovery.

We asked the brain injury community to tell us the tips that have helped them in their post-brain injury world. Here’s what we received.

Keep your brain and your body active

“Stay active as possible.”

One of the most common brain injury tips that we received from survivors is to stay active! Both physical and mental fitness are important in recovery and have positive impacts on your health.

Brain injuries can have physical impacts that limit mobility. There are many options to choose from depending on your abilities. Low-impact exercise like walking and biking are great options for those have physical limitations, while activities like hiking and running can be good for people who have a greater range of mobility.

As for mental exercise, Sudoku and crossword puzzles were the most common activities that were recommended by brain injury survivors. Problem-solving and projects that require concentration are beneficial for everyone, including brain injury survivors. For both physical and mental exercise, be sure to recognize your own limits and don’t push yourself too hard or too fast. Do what feels right for you.

Get some rest

“The importance of rest and not stressing the injury any more than is necessary”

While it is important to get physical and mental exercise, it is just as important to get physical and mental rest. Brain injuries can have a wide range of effects, from limited mobility to issues with cognition. Structuring your activities by getting plenty of sleep and pursuing activities that are not too strenuous on your body and mind will help in recovery.

Stay positive and find your community

“Being in community with others you can relate with is impactful for processing, support, and celebrating success!”

Brain injuries can cause numerous challenges, which can make it difficult to maintain a positive attitude. But many brain injury survivors note that it is important to try to stay positive throughout recovery. Staving off negativity can help with motivation to pursue positive activities and can help move your recovery along.

There are many things that can help foster a positive outlook, including speaking with a mental health professional and finding a hobby to invest in. But the most common thing brain injury survivors recommend doing is to connecting with others in the brain injury community. Whether it be through a support group or an online network, connecting with other brain injury survivors is helpful for finding resources, for navigating recovery, and for feeling less isolated in your situation.

One way to stay in touch with the brain injury community is by joining our mailing list. The Brain Injury Association of America has many educational opportunities, events, and resources that are shared throughout the year. Be sure to stay in the know: Sign up for updates.

Celebrate your successes

“Give yourself grace in recovery and keep going!”

Brain injury recovery can be a long and difficult process. But instead of dwelling on how much work you have left to do, one brain injury tip that many survivors mentioned the importance of celebrating your wins. Whether you reach an important milestone or are simply having a good day, be sure to acknowledge it and celebrate. The recovery process can be overwhelming and it’s easy to focus on all of the work that needs to be done in rehabilitation. However, it is important to recognize all the work you are doing and how far you have come. One brain injury survivor specifically mentions keeping a journal to log the progress you’re making. This can help you see how much you have advanced in your recovery journey and motivate you to keep going.

 

The process of recovering from a brain injury is often very challenging and difficult to navigate. But, thanks to the vast and caring community of brain injury survivors across the country, there are people here to help you through it. If you or a loved one are going through the process of brain injury recovery and are looking for resources, contact the National Brain Injury Information Center at 1-800-444-6443 or send us a message through our online form National Brain Injury Information Center.