In Part One of this post I’ll give you some information about compassion fatigue. In Part Two (next week), I’ll explain some good strategies to prevent or treat compassion fatigue. Caregiving for someone who has severe injuries or medical problems can be very stressful. Learning ways to manage the stress and emotional demands can protect your health and help you be a better caregiver.

Compassion fatigue is a form of severe stress that comes from caring for a person who is very seriously ill or injured. The person’s injuries can be physical or psychological. Often there is a combination. By learning how to recognize the warning signs of compassion fatigue, you can take care of yourself and reduce the emotional and physical stress of caregiving.

New Tip Card on Sleep Disorders after Brain Injury for Adults and Veterans describes causes and symptoms of changes in sleep patterns after brain trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Authors Samantha Backhaus, Kathleen Bell, and Marilyn Lash provide tips and strategies to help adults, veterans, and service members manage and improve sleep patterns.

The challenges that survivors face generally correspond to the severity of their injury. As injury severity increases, many are substantially challenged in engaging in and maintaining meaningful relationship, functioning in competitive employment, and learning to accept and love themselves as they are. This self-acceptance piece is huge because if it doesn’t happen, it is often very difficult for the survivor to move beyond significant despair to make adaptive progress. Drs. Bell, Johnson, and myself are very much in agreement on these concerns.

In England and Wales the general attitude with regards to compensation for all personal injury claims, is that the compensation should aim to help the injured person return to the position they were in before the accident.

An injury claimant is entitled to an award for their suffering, pain, and loss of amenity which is assessed by guidelines, similar cases and their own personal circumstances. Expert evidence will be called from experts across a wide range of medical and non-medical fields to assist with this claim.

Family caregivers of people with brain injury face stress, often intense, that can last for months and years. A new study suggests that the both emotional dysfunction and emotional health of a stressed caregiver can affect the recovery and rehabilitation of the injured person. Fortunately, there are many easy and inexpensive ways to relieve the stress associated with caregiving — including journaling, of course! — so that everyone can feel better. See more in this week’s post in Journal After Brain Injury, as well as prompts to help you deal with the stress.

Youngsville, NC – After Brain Injury: Telling Your Story, A Journaling Workbook by Barbara Stahura and Susan B. Schuster, M.A., CCC-SLP is a unique resource and tool for survivors to express their thoughts, explore their emotions, and cope with the cognitive challenges of traumatic brain injury.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Remember this saying that our parents taught us to use when kids at school were taunting or belittling us? Well, if you haven’t figured it out by now, I am sorry to be the one to tell you… it’s a big lie! Here is my take on it, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your hurtful words will forever scar me.”

Here is an excerpt of Garry Prowe’s fascinating review of Barbara Stahura’s book titled After Brain Injury; Telling Your Story, a Journaling Workbook. To read the entire review simply click here!

New tip card on Suicide in Military Personnel and Veterans helps families, caregivers, and service members identify risk factors and warning signs of suicidal thoughts. Many service members are having difficulty adjusting as they return to duty, come home, rejoin their families, go back to work, and resume their lives. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and chronic pain increase the risks of suicide. Authors Petroski-Ackley, O’Connor, and Lash describe warning signs of suicide, identify risks among service members, and discuss how and when to find help to prevent suicide.

Thousands of brain injuries are misdiagnosed every year, and people suffer because of it. Why does misdiagnosis happen on such a large scale? Aren’t healthcare providers supposed to be expert at diagnosing people?