brain injury and the role of support groups

Support Groups Give Back What Has Been Lost
Have you ever wondered what it is like to lose some of your cognitive or intellectual abilities? Basic tasks suddenly become problematic. We rarely consider the intellectual abilities required to successfully cross a street, but for a person with a brain injury this can be a nightmare. Socialisation becomes difficult. Family and friends don't know how to come to grips with you and your injury with the result that they often ignore or avoid you. Most persons with a brain injury find it extremely difficult to be accepted back into society after the injury. Support groups help the brain injured and their significant others to readjust to society and its demands.

Persons with brain injuries and their families typically remember their first attendance at a support group. It is often an emotional experience and is accompanied by feelings of sadness, but also joy. Many brain injured people explain that for the first time others understand their difficulty. You don't have to explain yourself to anybody. It is enough to say that you were unconscious for a few days and are still trying on a daily basis to meet the demands of society. Everybody is in the same boat and for many it is the first time that their heartache is acknowledged.

In support groups patients with brain injuries and their significant others can share their emotional experiences. The loneliness of living with reduced intellectual abilities can be discussed openly and this accelerates the healing process.

Family and friends can share their anxieties and struggle to provide the best care that they can give. It is difficult for most caregivers to always know what is best for the affected person. Some describe their anxiety of trying to always do things right as a feeling of walking on eggs and of constantly thinking about all your actions. Sharing these experiences helps them to build confidence and to provide the best possible care for the brain-injured person.

For many persons with brain injury the support group provides one of the only opportunities for carefree socialisation. In the support group, they are able to express themselves without reservation. As everybody has some kind of injury and has been in recovery there is great tolerance and acceptance of 'making mistakes' and practicing skills. This takes away the pressure of trying to 'be perfect' and in that sense builds confidence and promotes personal growth.

Support groups are facilitated by volunteers and usually meet once a month. A group of anything between five and 30 people gather and share their experiences. Often they sit in a circle and talk about the injury and the effect that it has had on their lives. At other times they may organise games and socialise around this.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mental Health Information Centre
Tel: 021 938 9229
http://www.mentalhealthsa.co.za
Panorama Memory Clinic
Tel: 021 939 3152