Getting into a crash can change your life in many ways, depending on the severity of it. Though most people consider traumatic physical injury and financial losses first, head injuries can actually cause some of the starkest and long-lasting changes.
In fact, certain head injuries received during crashes can actually change your personal relationships entirely.
Changes in personality
The Memory Systems Knowledge Translation Center discusses how crashes can potentially impact your relationships. In specific, they discuss the way that head injuries can and often will change your personal ties with others. Since head injuries are among the most common serious injuries received in crashes, the chance of this happening to any crash victim is actually quite high.
First, head injuries can alter a victim’s personality. Depending on the severity of damage and area it occurred, victims may act more rash, seem quicker to anger and may have trouble controlling their compulsive behavior. They may even lash out at partners, unable to deal with frustrations in a healthy way anymore. Some couples state that they feel as though they are living with a stranger due to the sharp behavioral changes that happen.
Prioritizing recovery over responsibilities
Next, when recovering from a head injury, health comes first. This means any duties and responsibilities get set on the backburner until recovery has progressed. This can cause extra tension and anxiety in the home as the healthy partner readjusts to a heavier workload, often including tasks they have little experience with.
Together, these new circumstances can make it difficult to continue a relationship in the same way it was before. This can create tension and some even fear the possibility of divorce, which makes seeking therapy a potential option you may wish to consider.