Quick Review
A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can impact multiple areas of the brain all at once or individually. Subsequently, a TBI can then impact how a person functions in the world in the various ways. Below are a few ways a TBI can impact an individual’s life:
- Fatigue can impact social relationships or ability to work
- Rapid fluctuations in mood can push people away
- Challenges with sleep can impact self-esteem
- Changes in one’s ability to maintain employment
Thus, after a person experiences a TBI they can often experience challenges with finances and money.
TBI Symptoms and Challenges
Depending on the person and the severity of their brain injury various symptoms or challenges may be present. A review of a few TBI challenges or symptoms are listed below:
- Difficulty with concentration/memory
- Rapid mood fluctuations
- Increase/decrease in fatigue levels
- Challenges with thought formation and expression
- Difficulty with impulse control
- Challenges with future planning
TBIs and Finances
The interplay between TBI challenges and managing finances can be complex to say the least. It takes prolonged amounts of concentration and focus to analyze numbers and transactions in a checkbook. Not to mention the working memory needed to transfer numbers back and forth between a calculator.
Impulse control can leave one’s bank account at zero or have it turn negative quickly.
If the prefrontal cortex is injured and one has challenges with future planning saving for a big purchase or retirement planning can be out of the picture.
Sometimes, TBIs can be so significant that they can lead to job loss or a decrease in income. Other times, the fallout from TBIs can get one fired from work.
Typically, TBIs are treated by medical professionals. This lead to exuberate medical costs if one does not have insurance or the funds to cover these costs. This can result in bankruptcy or large amounts of debt.
5 Tips to Manage Money with a TBI
- Break up large tasks into small chunks
- Delay impulse purchases
- Ask another person to go with you when shopping
- Set limits on debit/credit cards
- Ask for help
Schedule a free 20-minute therapy consultation in Kenosha, CO today!
Navigating this world is complex without a TBI. Having a TBI only puts more pressure on you and can send you messages about being inadequate. See how working with a TBI therapist can help support you in your recovery journey.
