Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Campaigns Are Getting the Word Out
September iis Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month.
An eye-opener for me was learning about the many ways people sustain brain injuries. Professional athletes, boxers and veterans of military combat are high-risk for TBI, but so are high school, middle school and even elementary school athletes, infants who are shaken and victims of domestic violence.
Here at Health Journeys, we have heard from an increasing number of people seeking guided imagery resources to accompany treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI). Many of them are practitioners who request information about Belleruth's Guided Meditation for Traumatic Brain Injury audio program for their clients.
The good news about this increase is that the awareness campaigns, held in January, March and September, must be working to get the word out, and more people with brain injuries are being identified and receiving treatment.
The bad news is that there are so many people whose lives are affected by traumatic brain injury. According to the most recent information from organizations like the CDC, 1.7 million people sustain TBI's annually in the U. S., but researchers estimate the current number, considering those who don't seek emergency treatment, could be as high as 3 million.
I am happy to answer questions about our TBI imagery, which was developed as a holistic complement to brain injury treatment. Belleruth developed it with the help of prominent neurologist, Dr. Robert Scaer, and many TBI survivors and caregivers. "What I learned was what a diverse and complicated condition TBI is, and how it presents itself in so many ways," she said. "Symptoms range from mild and temporary, to debilitating and ongoing."
In the TBI audio, the imagery is segmented more than usual with subtle ID markers that define each section of the imagery narrative. That means the listener can go directly to his or her favorite part, allowing for brief listening intervals for those who get too fidgety or distracted to listen for a full 25 minutes. The audio includes affirmations, which offer brief versions of the same positive imagery.
To find information about TBI among children, go to the CDC's Heads Up web page. The advice is designed for parents, coaches, school officials and health care providers.
To learn more about TBI and victims of domestic violence, read Belleruth's blog post, It's Not Just Athletes and Soldiers who Get Hit in the Head!.
For some excellent advice on what to say to friends and loved ones who are struggling with TBI, check out BR's post The Six Worst Things to Say to Someone with Traumatic Brain Injury.
Tell us about your experiences with TBI. As always, we love hearing from you.
It's still summer here in the Cuyahoga Valley. Best wishes for an endless summer, wherever you are.
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