Your Journey with Headway

About Brain Injury - you're not alone

Every year more than a million people attend hospital as a result of having a brain injury. Some will sustain a minor brain injury resulting in unconsciousness for 15 minutes or less; many will have short term loss of attention, concentration or memory. Others may suffer severe brain injuries and be unconscious for 6 hours or more.

The effects of Brain Injury

All brain injuries are different and people may be affected to a varying degree by any number of these problems depending on the severity of their injury and the area of the brain which is affected. These problems can be are spit in to 3 groups:

Physical – Affecting how the body works e.g. fatigue, mobility, sensory impairment, difficulties with speech.

Cognitive – Affecting how the person thinks, learns and remembers e.g. problems with memory, reduced initiation and problems with motivation, reduced concentration span, speed of information processing, reduced problem-solving ability, repetition or ‘perseveration, impaired reasoning, impaired judgement, lack of insight, language loss (aphasia), impairments in visual-perceptual skills:

Emotional and Behavioural – Affecting how the person feels and acts e.g. loss of confidence, mood swings or ‘emotional liability, depression and sense of loss are common, anxiety, frustration and anger, abusive or obscene language, dis-inhibition, impulsiveness, obsessive behaviour.

Headway Portsmouth and South East Hampshire helps by providing information about the possible consequences of brain injury and the related problems which can face both the injured and those involved with them. We offer a wide range of services to support people with brain injury.

Download a referral form here: Click to download

Headway UK, the brain injury association, produces a wide range of publications on the various issues concerning brain injury and written by professionals. Follow our link to access the factsheets. https://www.headway.org.uk/Factsheets.aspx