We have blogged in the past about the severe maladies that a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lead to – memory loss, cognitive difficulties and mood changes, to name a few. Now, there is evidence that TBI can lead to substance abuse in its victims. Researchers found a correlation between TBI and subsequent alcohol and drug abuse in 10 to 20 percent of TBI victims.
“Substance abuse is a risk factor for having a traumatic brain injury and traumatic brain injury is a risk factor for developing a substance abuse problem,” commented John Corrigan, one of the researchers in the study. Interestingly, doctors also found out that more than a few TBI victims had a substance abuse problem even before their injury, which only worsened after the TBI. The study found that there is a small window of time after the TBI where there is little or no alcohol abuse. What is the reason for the reduction or stoppage?
· The victim is in a hospital or recovery center where drugs and alcohol are not accessible
· The victim’s family is keeping a close watch on the TBI victim and his or her recovery
· Doctors and family make the victim aware of alcohol’s negative impact on recovery from the TBI
However, within two to five years after the injury, TBI victims tend to resume their drug and alcohol abuse. A TBI makes the person extremely vulnerable to dependency and substance abuse, even for those who had no prior history of substance abuse.
In our next blog post, we will discuss how detrimental alcohol and drug abuse is to TBI victims when compared to people without a brain injury.
Call one of our experienced TBI attorneys for a free case review if someone is responsible for your loved one’s head injury.
Harrell & Nowak, L.L.C. – New Orleans accident lawyers