When a brain injury happens, the family goes through changes. This may include the shock and trauma resulting from the initial injury, the extra demands placed on family members, the absence of the injured person from the home, the additional family duties, financial stress, depression, dealing with children's reactions, and much more. The family is now different. Many marriages, involving one partner with a brain injury end in divorce.
Families are systems in which each member affects, and is affected by, every other member.
A brain injury changes all members of the system. Family members need to first deal with the strong emotions associated with the brain injury. These may include disbelief, denial, a sense of chaos, guilt, and anger. Talk about what you are going through. This helps to make some sense out of what has happened and to create a plan for the future.