Here’s a list of TBI symptoms I came across at Headinjury.com (http://www.headinjury.com/checktbi.htm). I’m in the process of running down through the list and identifying specifics about each of them as they pertain to me — and have, for many years. It’s pretty daunting, at first, but ultimately it’s good to have a detailed list of what the issues are, so you can directly address them as effectively as possible.

Persistent Intellectual Impairments

  • Memory problems

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • Attention Difficulties

  • Easily Distracted

  • Misplacing or difficulty tracking things

  • Difficulty making decisions

  • Difficulty solving problems

  • Difficulty understanding spoken instructions

  • Difficulty understanding written instructions

  • Difficulty finding words

  • Difficulty communicating thoughts / feelings

  • Unintentionally repeating the same remarks

  • Unintentionally repeating same activities

  • Stuttering or stammering

  • Difficulties doing simple math

  • Impaired abstraction or literalness

  • Mental rigidity

  • Deficits in processing information

  • Deficits in sequencing information

  • Difficulty executing or doing things

  • Difficulty starting or initiating things

  • Difficulty handling work requirements

  • Difficulty handling school requirements

  • Having to check and re-check what you do

  • Disoriented by slight changes in daily routine

  • Unsure about things that you know well

  • Difficulty learning new things

  • Doing things slowly to insure correctness

  • Decreased capacity for reality testing

  • Impaired ability to appreciate details

  • Impaired ability to benefit from experience

  • Inappropriate responses to people & things

  • Difficulty taking care of your self

  • Difficulty taking care of children

 

Psychological Consequences

  • Impaired sense of self

  • Fear of loss of control

  • Easily agitated or irritated

  • Easily startled

  • Feelings of paranoia

  • Spells of terror or panic

  • Feelings of depression

  • Feelings of shame or guilt

  • Persistent anxiety

  • Anxiousness or feelings of fear and dread

  • Feelings of discouragement

  • Withdrawal or social isolation

  • Feeling others not appreciating your difficulties

  • Feeling everything is an effort

  • Feeling inept or worthless

  • Laughing or crying without apparent cause

  • Worrisome thoughts won’t leave your mind

  • Making up explanations for things

  • Insensitive to others and social context

  • Diminished insight

 

Persistent Mood Disorders

  • Mood swings

  • Having urges to beat, injure or harm someone

  • Shouting or throwing things

  • Temper outbursts that you could not control

 

Persistent Physiological Impairments

  • Heart pounding or racing

  • Rapid pulse

  • Headaches or head pains

  • Increased blood pressure

  • Increased sensitivity to touch

  • Ringing in ears

  • Easily fatigued

  • Numbness or tingling in parts of your body

  • Weakness or loss of strength

  • Feeling tense or keyed up

  • Restlessness, unable to sit still

  • Lessened ability to perform physically

  • Decreased tolerance for alcohol and drugs

  • Appetite disturbances

  • Trouble falling asleep

  • Awakening during the night

  • Sleep that is restless or disturbed

 

Persistent Personality Alterations

  • Passivity, or submissiveness

  • Aggressiveness

  • Apathy, lack of interest or emotion

  • Overly sensitive

  • Discouragement or demoralization

  • Increased emotional distress

  • Chronic frustration

  • Grandiosity or boastfulness

  • Excessively talkative

  • Compulsive writing

  • Egocentricity

  • Childishness

  • Silliness

  • Overly responsible

  • Irresponsibility

  • Impulsively

  • Self-indulgent

  • Indiscreet comments and acts

  • Obscene comments or acts

  • Increased sexual activity

  • Decreased sexual activity

  • Increased shame or guilt

  • Religiosity

 

Persistent Neurological Problems

  • Sense of observing your self from afar

  • Altered consciousness

  • Slowed reaction time

  • Smelling odors that others do not smell

  • Hearing music that others do not hear

  • Making up explanations for things

  • Sensitivity to temperature shifts

  • Seeing dark spots before your eyes

  • Blurred vision, especially when fatigued

  • Double vision especially when fatigued

  • Diminished night vision

  • Difficulty relaxing

  • Twitching

  • Sensitivity to sound or noise

  • Sensitivity to light

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