Severe TBI from car crash, now severe social indifference

Posted by natashabb @natashabb, Jul 24, 2025

Hi everyone!
I hope all is doing well. I had a severe TBI a year ago after a major car crash. I am physically doing ok, however mentally I have a severe indifference towards society. I get very angry and do not like people very much. This is not how I was before the accident. I always tried my utmost best to be as kind as possible to everyone I encountered. Now it is only a select few that I show this kindness towards. I get so angry at unfairities, people who do not care for the environment, nature, animals and people in need, when people are self centred and narsassistic. This has made me turn in to a rather bitter person which I hated, and it is obviously not helping my recovery. I was at a psychiatrist in December last year and he advised I have PTSD. I have quit my job and have become a bit of a hermit and extremely introverted.
Ignorance is bliss ,but its almost like I can't be ignorant. A large percentage of humanity seems ugly to me. Leading to occasional and irrational suicidal thoughts.
Is this normal and part of the recovery process? Will these feelings go away?

I cannot afford a phsycologist as I am unemployed and am scared to work with people again.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Support Group.

Profile picture for traub @traub

I hear ya bro, 16/Nov I was involved in a head on hit n run...My car had to be totaled by the insurance company..I was diagnosed with moderate to severe concussion.
I have a lot of the symptoms listed in these posts.
Disorientation, nausea, dizziness, some problems with bright lights, depression is big time.
I volunteer at my church as a live steaming camera operator but asked to be taken off schedule, I don't wanna get sll dizzy and fall of my camera position.
Last night I got enraged at my Ipad and broke it half.
Anger and rage not like I 've felt before are present. Yup suicide is a ever present evil thought...yea, maybe I'd be better off dead.
I'm 71 no family, not married and not as many pals as before.
I feel ya bro...messed up in Honolulu my home....

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Depending on the part of the brain affected and the severity of the injury, people who suffered a traumatic brain injury can experience changes in personality including a range to indifference to anger.

@traub, I'm sorry to hear that the TBI means you had to stop volunteering at the church because the live streaming camera operation exposed you to too much stimulation. You were wise to reduce that stimulation. I hope with rehab you'll be able to return to volunteering again.

At the moment, it sounds like you've got some things you want to deal with from anger, depression and feeling suicidal. It's hard to deal with these things on your own. Have you connected with the Brain Injury Association-Hawaii https://biausa.org/find-bia/hawaii to get support?

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Profile picture for Lisa Lucier, Moderator @lisalucier

@andygw - that sounds like a horrible accident. Wow. With that and the physical symptoms you mentioned, it's not surprising you feel anger.

During your hospitalization and PT period, did you also see a therapist specializing in trauma? If not, is that something you are considering?

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@lisalucier yes, but the feeling is still there, it's hard to explain.

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Profile picture for sallys @sallys

I’m very sorry to hear of your situation. Has anyone checked for pituitary dysfunction? The pituitary gland can be damaged in a head injury but inexplicably doctors rarely check for it.

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@sallys funny thing, gynecologist did an original he found a small cyst on my pituitary gland.

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Profile picture for traub @traub

I hear ya bro, 16/Nov I was involved in a head on hit n run...My car had to be totaled by the insurance company..I was diagnosed with moderate to severe concussion.
I have a lot of the symptoms listed in these posts.
Disorientation, nausea, dizziness, some problems with bright lights, depression is big time.
I volunteer at my church as a live steaming camera operator but asked to be taken off schedule, I don't wanna get sll dizzy and fall of my camera position.
Last night I got enraged at my Ipad and broke it half.
Anger and rage not like I 've felt before are present. Yup suicide is a ever present evil thought...yea, maybe I'd be better off dead.
I'm 71 no family, not married and not as many pals as before.
I feel ya bro...messed up in Honolulu my home....

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@traub I'm not a doctor but have had friends with concussions and it can cause mean one second and tranquil 5 minuets later. one let it go and lost his marriage to it. that was a sad day. he was so gifted with what he could do to a piece of wood and his thinking was noticeably changed. i will send both of you my prayers for an answer to your problems and to get well soon..... prayers sent. have a blessed evening.

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