Beginning with the stroke 15 years ago, I’ve encountered anger, less now, but it’s still there. Let’s take an example first.
Recently and for the first time, my Zoom meeting, Brain Exchange, with the other co-founder, Sara Riggs, was ready to start when BAM! I lost connection. Anxiety turned into frustration and then anger when my wonderful aide, Keisha, tried to help by taking control of the keyboard.
I ignored her help and then there were two of us hitting the keys. Of course, I was in no position to hit the keys at all because of my raging anger. Keisha could see that, too, and stepped back. SHE WAS ONLY TRYING TO HELP.
Anyway, my anger led me to somehow reboot and then the meeting came on the screen. Lost time: around 10 minutes. When the meeting concluded, I went to another room to find Keisha and said, “I’m sorry.”
But why did my anger go to that uncontrollable route? Anger in someone with a brain injury can arise from a bunch of factors, often related to challenges that come about from their injury. Here are some common causes:
Physical Limitations
- Challenges in performing physical tasks, like walking or using one single hand, can lead to anger.
- Brain injuries often cause mental and physical challenging, making tasks feel more impossible to achieve.
- Persistent physical symptoms can wither patience and resilience.
Emotional Regulation
- Brain injuries can alter the ability to regulate emotions, leading to feelings of frustration and anger.
- Quick changes in mood can make it difficult for the person to maintain a sense of peace.
Cognitive Impairments
- Grappling to remember tasks in order to maintain focus can lead to feelings of incompetence.
- Using longer to understand or respond to information can cause anger, especially in expected high-pace situations.
- Complex tasks that were once simple may now be overwhelming.
Loss of Independence
- Needing help from others for things they used to do independently can feel disheartening.
- They may anticipate themselves to function as they did before the brain injury, leading to anger when they fail.
Social and Environmental Factors
- Family, friends, and caregivers may not fully lay hold of the person’s struggles, leading to feelings of isolation.
- Noisy or hectic environments can be overwhelming.
- Pushing to meet unreasonable expectations can increase tension.
Communication Barriers
- Speech impairments can make it difficult to communicate effectively, leading to saying the wrong and even offensive things.
- Understanding nonverbal context or cues can create social awkwardness.
There, you have it, and I ask you, sound familiar?
