Now caregivers as well as wives and mothers, many women are finding that the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have changed not only their husbands but their entire family. As these women speak out about the changes in their marriages, parenting, and relationship, it becomes clear that the emotional trauma of war affects every member in the family as the wounded warrior comes home.

A brain injury can cause intense stress and anxiety for survivors, family members and caregivers. It can feel overwhelming and make it difficult for you to simply get through the day. It can make it harder to think clearly, solve problems and plan ahead. By learning how to recognize the signs and symptoms of your stress and anxiety, you can learn how to use techniques to lessen and manage stress and anxiety. This is the first step in regaining control as you rebuild your lives and begin the journey of living with brain injury.

The symptoms and changes caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are both similar and different. It can be stressful, frustrating, and difficult for family, spouses, and caregivers to know which condition is causing the changes in behavior, emotions or cognition. These invisible wounds are much harder to recognize than the physical changes, but they can be life altering. As wounded warriors return home, their families are struggling to understand their effects. Using an example of erratic driving and road rage, this blog post illustrates the compounded effects of PTSD and TBI.

If you believed everything you hear, you’d think hardly any one stays married after a brain injury. It’s a commonly believed that most marriages end in separation or divorce after a spouse has a traumatic brain injury. I’ve often heard folks quote an unknown source that, “Ninety percent of survivors of brain injury wind up divorced.” This is not exactly true. The reasons why relationships change after brain injury are complicated. Some research on marital relationships when a partner has a brain injury or a disability share some light on this.

Barbara Webster, author of the tip card Memory Strategies after Brain Injury shares strategies and tips that can be used daily at home. Daily life can be complicated for anyone, but it can be even more complex and stressful if you have a memory impairment after a brain injury. By designing and using strategies that fit into your personal routine, you can develop a system that works for you and your lifestyle. It has to be practical, easy to use, and address your needs for it to work for you! That’s the bottom line…does it help you remember?

Weekend retreats help the women and wives of wounded warriors injured in Iraq and Afghanistan explore their own needs for support, help and encouragement as they deal with the emotional trauma as the effects of war come home with their husbands. Marilyn Lash is part of a team conducting retreats across the country and shares what she has learned from these women about the emotional aftermath of wartime injuries on marriage and parenting.

As adults and veterans who have survived a brain injury age and grow older, many worry about further declines in memory and cognitive abilities. Loss of memory, difficulty recalling names, and confusion are common complaints of most aging adults. Physical abilities also change with aging. For survivors of brain trauma who already have some impairments in cognitive and physical abilities, concerns about aging are often magnified. Dr. Mary Hibbard, author of Aging after Brain Injury has some helpful tips for survivors and families.

A concussion can have many effects on a child or youth’s performance in the classroom, ability to play sports, participation in activities with friends, and behavior at home. Everyone who is involved with a student athlete is responsible for being aware of the signs and symptoms of concussion, monitoring the child’s recovery, and providing supports and accommodations. This includes the physician, parents, friends, teachers, school nurses, coaches and athletic trainers.

Changes in her memory and speech after a traumatic brain injury were difficult losses for Bridgid Ruden. Formerly a busy nurse practitioner, she now found it hard to do even the simplest tasks and errands. Even caring for her children and managing the household were constant challenges and frustrations as she frequently lost items as well as words. So many losses changed her sense of self and were further compounded by seizures. Yet she has found a new purpose in life and is now a powerful advocate and speaker for the many voices of survivors.

Every family has an emotional reaction when a spouse, sibling, child, or other relative has a traumatic brain injury. Each family has learned ways of coping from previous experiences with stresses, losses and changes in their lives. Some methods of coping have been productive for families in the past and helped ease not only their levels of stress and anxiety, but helped them problem solve and prepare for the future. Other ways of coping may not have been as productive for families. Some may have learned from this and changed how they cope with stress or change, while others may be stuck repeating negative patterns.