We all know that relationships can be a bit tricky sometimes after brain injury. Most of the time the relationships that are mentioned are those with spouses or children, but friendships are an important part of people’s lives that are also impacted by the changes that happen after concussion.
I recently had a conversation about how to manage friendship relationships after concussion that I thought you might enjoy listening to. Her delightful guest, Thea James, has experienced multiple concussions and was able to beautifully express the challenges and blessings of maintaining already-established friendships as well as making new friendships following concussion.
One of the ideas she shared through her example is to be open to the relationships that present themselves in the new pace of life you’re in. She also discussed frequent touch-points as an important part of developing relationships, so getting involved in a group that meets regularly that does things you’re interested in is a good way to connect with others. She particularly recommended volunteering, since it’s often more flexible and you can choose what works for you at your current capacity.
Another suggestion she had was to set an alarm on your phone with just a picture of a star as the reminder text for when you’re engaging in social situations, as a reminder to you just to check in with yourself — the alarm will give a pause in the conversation and a helpful nudge to quickly notice where you’re at symptoms-wise. This is great advice for anyone working on pacing themselves, especially in social settings.
If you have experienced challenges with friendships following brain injury, please know that you’re not alone, and that I am here to help if you want someone to strategize with. You can sign up for a free consultation here: https://theconcussioncoach.com/contact/
And here is the link if you would like to listen to the podcast episode with Thea James: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/pGGIHOa5LUb
Yours,
Bethany Lewis
The Concussion Coach