Things Not to Say to a Person with Brain Injury

I came across a blog recently about what not to say to people with brain injuries and I thought “how appropriate”.     Recovering from TBI is a challenge in SO MANY ways and its disheartening to hear certain comments from people.    Most people just don’t “get it”.     You look fine, you can speak, you can walk…   they just don’t know how hard it might be to speak and walk!     When someone told me “but you look fine”, it was like them telling me “there is nothing wrong with you”.    Or how about, “it’s what happens when you get older” – WHAT!   – did I age so much in a 24 hour period after I was hit on the head and I’ve been steadily “un-aging” for the last 7 years?   Then there was “it’s like a broken leg, you have to wait until it’s healed to run again” –  REALLY!   a broken brain is like a broken leg?

Here is what Dr. Rowland had to say in her blog 9 things NOT to say to someone with a brain injury