Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness

Between 2000 and 2021, more than 400,000 service members were diagnosed with a TBI according to The Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence. Service members are at an increased risk for TBI due to military operational activities, training exercises, and deployments. Service members who are deployed are at risk of experiencing blast exposures from suicide bombers, landmines, rocket-propelled grenades, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Despite their invisibility, TBI can wreak havoc cognitively, behaviorally, and physically, and knowledge of the symptoms is powerful. Below are reference points on how you can help your loved one with a TBI: 

• Keep track of the frequency and severity of symptoms. Keeping a symptom journal can be helpful to be able to tell your loved ones' doctors if you notice any changes, and pay attention to what your loved one is saying verbally and non-verbally. It may be hard for them to express themselves verbally.

• Make sure your loved one gets enough rest and sleep.

• Help your loved one avoid or limit alcohol, tobacco, and caffeinated drinks.  

• If advised by their doctor, make sure your loved one is getting some exercise.

• Help your loved one manage stress. 

For more information visit https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Centers-of-Excellence/Traumatic-Brain-Injury-Center-of-Excellence   

If you are a Caregiver of a Veteran with TBI in need of support or resources, contact us at caregivers@independencefund.org. 

To support our nation's most catastrophically wounded, ill, and injured Veterans, their Caregivers, and their Families donate here.