Post-Concussion Treatment is Extremely Important in Suicide Prevention

August 04, 2020, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

The Canadian Concussion Centre is based in the Krembil Neuroscience Centre at Toronto Western Hospital part of the UHN network. It is focussed on examining the relationship between repeated concussions and later deterioration of the brain’s function. The relationship is thought to be especially strong in those who have suffered frequent repeated concussions in sports, industrial accidents, and falls.

The centre does high profile and valuable work to help those who are impacted by concussion. Dr. Tator at the centre recently reported conclusions from one study which indicated that suicide attempts are much more common in people suffering concussion than we realize. He says though, that the suicides are preventable with the proper treatment and care post-concussion.

We know that concussion is brain damage, and the damage can present in many ways. In fact there are over 80 conditions. Some of the most common ones that people suffer are:

• headaches,
• memory loss,
•  confusion,
• long term personality change,
• emotional problems,
• dizziness,
• anxiety,
• depression and
• PTSD.

Patients who go on to commit suicide following concussion have been failed by the healthcare system in many ways. De. Tator cites the case of Tyler Pryor a young woman who died by suicide last year one year after suffering a sports concussion. Her family reported that her personality changed entirely after the concussion – she went form a motivated university student to suffering severe post-concussion syndrome, mood swings, lethargy, light sensitivity and other symptoms. She attempted suicide 22 times before she died.

Brian damage is very clearly related to poor impulse control in those patients who have suffered multiple brain injury. They lose the ability to resist the impulses when they arise which makes suicide particularly sad.

Dr. Tator is a strong advocate of a team approach to post concussion management by multidisciplinary teams including social workers, OT and PT. Support for patients needs to broad and timely. Long term care for many patients can include antidepressant medications, CBT, counselling and general support. Family support is key to recovery as well, and support for the families is important. Family members deal with picking up the pieces for their loved one, of trying to steer the ship through treatment, of getting treatment and of coping with frightening changes in personality and unpredictable mood swings.

Finding an advocate is crucial for the family and the patient. The advocate can be the primairy healthcare provider, the specialists, or friends and family.

If you or a loved one has been injured and are suffering from post-concussion syndrome you should contact an experience personal injury lawyer to find out what your options for compensation are. At Deutschmann Law we have a long history of helping our clients get the benefits they need and deserve.

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

It is important that you review your accident benefit file with one of our experienced personal injury / car accident lawyers to ensure that you obtain access to all your benefits which include, but are limited to, things like physiotherapy, income replacement benefits, vocational retraining and home modifications.