Traumatic Brain Injury or Bipolar Disorder
Thinking back to my days of playing basketball in high school and college, has brought up many questions. Throughout my life, I have had around three to four TBI’s (concussions). These concussions happened at least a year before I had my first break in reality.
The question I want to cover today, is do I have bipolar disorder, or are the symptoms I’m experiencing a result of my multiple TBI’s over the years?
Symptoms of TBI
First, let’s start with all the symptoms I experienced with my concussions. As I recall, each concussion caused more severe symptoms each time. The main symptoms I experienced were: sensitivity to light and noise, headaches, mental confusion, memory impairment, depression and anxiety, and difficulty concentrating and understanding.
As a result of these symptoms, I had difficulty in school and my relationships. Each time I had a TBI, the longer it took me to recover.
Many recent studies have shown the link between traumatic brain injuries and mood or psychiatric disorders. For example, according to Psych Central,
“Head injuries have been shown to increase the likelihood of being diagnosed with a mental illness by up to 439%”.
My question is if head injuries can cause mental illness, why are we not being treated for the head injury first? Could these symptoms be mistaken for psychiatric conditions?
TBIs can cause psychosis. Library of Medicine, states: “Traumatic brain injury triggers pathophysiological processes that generally result in a psychosis after a delay of 1–5 years”.
My last concussion was my worst. I had major symptoms, that caused long-term effects. To this day, I have memory lapses, difficulty concentrating and reading, fatigue, and many more symptoms. I was treated for TBIs, but an accumulation of them all left lasting marks on my physical and psychological state.
Bipolar Disorder
Now, how does Bipolar Disorder fit into this equation? I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 Disorder in 2019. At the time, I didn’t have any recollection of what was going on. I didn’t have a part or say in my diagnosis. I mean, I learned what Bipolar Disorder was and the doctors told me I had the symptoms of it. So why would I ever question their decision?
I never once questioned the decision of doctors or even my own experiences that resulted in my diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. With the research I’ve gathered and my own experiences.
It’s safe to say that my mind is searching for answers.
I would recommend consulting a healthcare professional if you have concerns with anything related to your mental health. Stay tuned for my blog posts where I share my unique perspective on living with Bipolar 1 Disorder and being a mom.