Things not to say to someone with a brain injury..

people who have a brain injury can be; more sensitive, emotional and unable to control their actions, no one can tell when someone suffers with a brain injury especially if you've only just met them, some people with a brain injury can be quite obsessive and suffer with OCD to the point where they get aggressive when you change their plans,

I suffer with a lot if not all of these problems with my brain injury..
With my brain injury obviously I suffer with physical disabilities so people assume that's all I suffer with..

Things not to say;

"You're basically back to normal"
Most people with brain injuries won't become who they were 'before' normal is a term that offends people with brain injuries..

"You're so strong and brave, I don't know how you do it"
Were not really doing anything accept trying to train our brains as much as we can, reconnecting and reflecting on how to become 'well' we're only being strong because we have no other choice..

"I don't know how you do it"
Do what? We're so confused that we just carry on living how we've learnt to cope with life, the way our doctors taught and trained our brains..

"How does it feel?"
You can't feel much, the emotions come and go, your brain can get frustrated you only feel it in your mind.. It feels horrible to be asked certain things and people assuming you're not 'normal'

"you look the same, I can't even tell"
I can everyday I look in the mirror, pass shop windows or get stares because of how I try to hide the physical disability.

"it must be so hard!"
Don't patronise me, I'm an adult with a child's brain, always learning, developing and growing just not as fast as yours does...

"I read somewhere this person fully recovered"
No one makes a full recovery, it's impossible to create a new brain and life when the brain cells have been so damaged.
Recovery is a life long process


Most people don't know how to react or what to say, I've experienced so many strange comments and smiling at people I once called 'friends' and recieving a look up and down and all I receive is a dirty look, you won't understand I don't want you too, you'd never fully understand but I'll carry on my recovery trying to understand how to train my brain..