Post-traumatic growth in acquired brain injury: A preliminary small scale study

It's only 8 years old so I'm sure your doctor is using this to reinforce your mental  therapy.
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699050600664566

2006, Vol. 20, No. 7 , Pages 767-773 (doi:10.1080/02699050600664566)

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Joanna Collicutt McGrath^1†and P. Alex Linley²

¹Oxford Centre for Enablement, Oxford, UK

²University of Leicester, Leicester, UK

^†Correspondence: Joanna Collicutt McGrath, Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford, 54, Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6PW, UK, 01865 284961, 01865 274215jcollicutt@aol.co.uk

Primary objective: To examine the nature, degree and time course of positive psychological change in people with severe acquired brain injury.

Research design: This preliminary exploratory study employed a cross-sectional design, comparing two matched samples, one early post-brain injury (M = 7 months) and one late post-brain injury (M = 10 years).
Methods and procedures: The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Sense of Coherence Scale-13 (SOC-13) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were administered.
Main outcomes and results: The samples differed significantly with respect to reported post-traumatic growth, with the late sample reporting higher levels. HADS anxiety was significantly associated with post-traumatic growth. Both samples achieved high scores on the SOC-13.

Conclusions: The participants showed evidence of substantial positive psychological change, demonstrating that it is not precluded by severe brain injury. The results suggest that this develops slowly over time and requires a degree of emotional engagement.

Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699050600664566

Positive, Negative Thinkers’ Brains Revealed

What is your doctor doing to find out the proper way to approach your mental state to make sure that your recovery will occur?
http://www.biosciencetechnology.com/news/2014/04/positive-negative-thinkers%E2%80%99-brains-revealed?
The ability to stay positive when times get tough—and, conversely, of being negative—may be hardwired in the brain, finds new research led by a Michigan State University psychologist.
The study, which appears in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, is the first to provide biological evidence validating the idea that there are, in fact, positive and negative people in the world.
“It’s the first time we’ve been able to find a brain marker that really distinguishes negative thinkers from positive thinkers,” said Jason Moser, lead investigator and assistant professor of psychology.
For the study, 71 female participants were shown graphic images and asked to put a positive spin on them while their brain activity was recorded. Participants were shown a masked man holding a knife to a woman’s throat, for example, and told one potential outcome was the woman breaking free and escaping.
The participants were surveyed beforehand to establish who tended to think positively and who thought negatively or worried. Sure enough, the brain reading of the positive thinkers was much less active than that of the worriers during the experiment.
“The worriers actually showed a paradoxical backfiring effect in their brains when asked to decrease their negative emotions,” Moser said. “This suggests they have a really hard time putting a positive spin on difficult situations and actually make their negative emotions worse even when they are asked to think positively.”
The study focused on women because they are twice as likely as men to suffer from anxiety related problems and previously reported sex differences in brain structure and function could have obscured the results.
Moser said the findings have implications in the way negative thinkers approach difficult situations.
“You can’t just tell your friend to think positively or to not worry—that’s probably not going to help them,” he said. “So you need to take another tack and perhaps ask them to think about the problem in a different way, to use different strategies.”
Negative thinkers could also practice thinking positively, although Moser suspects it would take a lot of time and effort to even start to make a difference.
Source: Michigan State University

Gratitude: Stroke rehabilitation

What your mental health therapist from the hospital should be working on for you. I had no mental health support for years until I figured it out myself. What an incredible waste of time and effort. All survivors need this.
I point a lot to Tiny Buddha and Seth Godin. Both give me lots to think about and contemplate in my life.
Gratitude: A Powerful Fat Loss Tool

Want to be happy? Be grateful - TED talk

Practicing Gratitude is Key to Daily Happiness

3 Keys to Being Happy, No Matter What Happens 

From a Tiny Buddha post

1. Gratitude

2. Self-Compassion

3. Passion

 

Don't let them kill the wild animals inside of you.

Lyrics and song from Cat Empire here; I've heard them live twice at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, my favorite band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRSoQdyazZw
Tiny Buddha talking abou the same thing here;

How to Stop Limiting Yourself and Feel Fully Alive 

This is pretty much how I felt every day on the Italy trip.

Body, participation and self transformations during and after in-patient stroke rehabilitation

Sounds pretty new-agey to me, but let your doctor determine if its useful.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15017419.2013.868823#.Ustl6bQ0ySo

DOI:

10.1080/15017419.2013.868823

Cathrine Arntzen^ab*, Torunn Hamran^b & Tove Borg^c

Publishing models and article dates explained
Received: 14 Feb 2013
Accepted: 18 Nov 2013
Published online: 02 Jan 2014

Article Views: 1

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Abstract

This study explores stroke survivors' experience of being part of an institutional rehabilitation context and what it means for the immediate experience of discharge home. The aim is to develop a deeper understanding of how the dynamic phenomenon body, participation in everyday life and sense of self interrelates and changes through stroke survivors' movement in and between the two contexts and what this phenomenon means for stroke survivors' process of change and well-being in the early rehabilitation trajectory. Repeated, retrospective, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine persons living with moderate impairment after stroke and their closest relatives. Phenomenological and critical psychological concepts are used for analysing the data. Stroke survivors' experience indicates that their time as in-patients is important for their safety in the early juncture. Being part of an institutional rehabilitation context mobilizes stroke survivors' to optimize focus, energy and hope of physical recovery. At the same time it appears to postpone feelings of uncertainty and grief as well as reflection on their situation. However, immediately after homecoming a critical passage in the stroke survivors' rehabilitation trajectory appears because the perception of body, participation in everyday life and the sense of self undergo profound changes. This study stresses the importance of broadening the scope of professional initiative and paying attention to the post-rehabilitation context of everyday life during the in-patient stay.

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Concussion recovery delayed by mental activity, study shows

So what does this mean for stroke recovery? Should we all sit in our rooms doing no mental activity at all? Including answering our dumb neurologist questions?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/concussion-recovery-delayed-by-mental-activity-study-shows-1.2483252
After a concussion, adolescents with the highest level of mental activities — such as reading, doing homework and playing video games — take the longest to recover, a new study suggests.
Adolescents engaged in the highest level of mental activities take about 100 days on average to recover from symptoms of concussion, compared to about 20 to 50 days for those with lower mental activities, according to researchers from Children’s Hospital Boston.

• 6-step recovery plan for concussion
• Concussions: What to watch for
• Concussions in young athletes need 'to be taken seriously'

A concussion is an injury to the brain resulting from a blow to the head.
More at link.
And the actual study here:
Effect of Cognitive Activity Level on Duration of Post-Concussion Symptoms

1. Naomi J. Brown, MD^a,
2. Rebekah C. Mannix, MD, MPH^b,^c,
3. Michael J. O’Brien, MD^c,^d,^e,
4. David Gostine, BS^e,
5. Michael W. Collins, PhD^f, and
6. William P. Meehan III, MD^b,^c,^d,^e

+ Author Affiliations

1. ^aDivision of Sports Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
2. ^bDivision of Emergency Medicine,
3. ^cBrain Injury Center, and
4. ^eSports Concussion Clinic, Division of Sports Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts;
5. ^dThe Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, Massachusetts; and
6. ^fSports Concussion Program, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of cognitive activity level on duration of post-concussion symptoms.

METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients who presented to a Sports Concussion Clinic within 3 weeks of injury between October 2009 and July 2011. At each visit, patients completed a scale that recorded their average level of cognitive activity since the previous visit. The product of cognitive activity level and days between visits (cognitive activity-days) was calculated and divided into quartiles. Kaplan-Meier Product Limit method was used to generate curves of symptom duration based on cognitive activity level. To adjust for other possible predictors of concussion recovery, we constructed a Cox proportional hazard model with cognitive activity-days as the main predictor.

RESULTS: Of the 335 patients included in the study, 62% were male, 19% reported a loss of consciousness, and 37% reported experiencing amnesia at the time of injury. The mean age of participants was 15 years (range, 8–23) and the mean number of previous concussions was 0.76; 39% of athletes had sustained a previous concussion. The mean Post-Concussion Symptom Scale score at the initial visit was 30 (SD, 26). The overall mean duration of symptoms was 43 days (SD, 53). Of all variables assessed, only total symptom burden at initial visit and cognitive activity level were independently associated with duration of symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS: Increased cognitive activity is associated with longer recovery from concussion. This study supports the use of cognitive rest and adds to the current consensus opinion.

Arousal and Physiological Toughness: Implications for Mental and Physical Health

Is your doctor eliciting the appropriate psychological responses from you to assure your readiness to accept the challenge to get back to 100% recovery?
Its only 18 pages long and from 1989, so if your doctor doesn't know about this they are spectacularly incompetent. My opinion only, you can come up with your own opinion of your doctor.
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1215&context=psychfacpub

From W. B. Cannon’s identification of adrenaline with “

fight or flight” to modern views of stress, negative views of peripheral physiological arousal predominate. Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) arousal is associated with anxiety, neuroticism, the Type A personal-

ity, cardiovascular disease, and immune system suppression; illness susceptibility is associated with life events requiring adjustments.

“Stress control” has become almost synonymous with arousal reduction. A contrary positive view of peripheral arousal follows from

studies of subjects exposed to intermittent stressors. Such exposure leads to low SNS arousal base rates, but to strong and responsive

challenge- or stress-induced SNS-adrenal-medullary arousal, with resistance to brain catecholamine depletion and with suppression of

pituitary adrenal-cortical responses. That pattern of arousal defines physiological toughness and, in interaction with psychological coping, corresponds with positive performance in even complex tasks, with emotional stability, and with immune system enhancement.

The toughness concept suggests an opposition between effective short- and long-term coping, with implications for effective therapies andstress-inoculating life-styles.

Confrontations with stressors and challenges evoke central

and peripheral physiological arousal. Characterizations of that

peripheral arousal traditionally have been negative, but some mo-

dem views are more positive. After providing some definitions, I

discuss the apparent contradictions between literatures whose ba-

sis is an assumption of the harmfulness of peripheral physiological arousal and those whose basis is not.

Making Friends With Failure

If you don't hear about all the millions of failures you are going to encounter as you try to recover, your doctor and therapists are failing you.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/learning-from-failure-ainissa-ramirez
You better hear about this one;
from Winston Churchill
that applies to many tough, post-stroke situations,
"If you're going through hell, keep going."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Or this one;
Two Frogs in a pit
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your stroke rehab half-full or half-empty? 

Stubborn, persistent, perservering

Which one of these traits are you using for your recovery?
Or one from this list?
bloody-minded, 
cantankerous,
bolshy, 
stroppy,
bullheaded, 
bullet-headed,
pigheaded,
dogged, 
dour, 
persistent, 
pertinacious, 
tenacious, 
unyielding,
contrarious, 
cross-grained,
determined,

hardheaded, 
mulish,
stiff-necked,
strong-minded, 
strong-willed

One of these better describe you if you expect to recover to the best of you ability

Are You Stubborn?

Are you a persistent person? can you hold on to something you decide to do ?

 

The Neuroscience of Perseverance

You've heard me mention the trait towards bloody-minded stubbornness in the face of adversity that's part of being 'British'?

“Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in.”

Winston Churchill graduation speech. He didn't actually say these words
This is our most frequent quote request. The speech was made 29 October 1941 to the boys at Harrow School. " Never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.'' The full speech is contained in "The Unrelenting Struggle" (London:Cassell and Boston:Little Brown 1942, and is found on pages 274-76 of the English edition). It may also be found in "The Complete Speeches of Winston S. Churchill," edited by Robert Rhodes James (NY:Bowker and London:Chelsea House 1974).
The voiceover here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r36wikH36JM
The actual words here:
http://www.school-for-champions.com/speeches/churchill_never_give_in.htm

We have to follow this if we expect to get close as possible to our recovery.

Are you the center of the world? This is water

An uplifting graduation speech by David Foster Wallace before the graduating class of Kenyon college. I don't remember mine.
http://vimeo.com/theglossary/thisiswater

Holstee manifesto

Copyright 2009 written by dave, mike and fabian.  I like this.
Posters of it available here:
http://www.amazon.com/Holstee-Manifesto-Poster/dp/B007708W3S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1368062075&sr=8-2&keywords=holstee

“This is your life. Do what you want and do it often.
If you don't like something, change it.
If you don't like your job, quit.
If you don't have enough time, stop watching TV.
If you are looking for the love of your life, stop; they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love.
Stop over-analysing, life is simple.
All emotions are beautiful.
When you eat, appreciate every last bite.
Life is simple.
Open your heart, mind and arms to new things and people, we are united in our differences.
Ask the next person you see what their passion is and share your inspiring dream with them.
Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself.
Some opportunities only come once, seize them.
Life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them, so go out and start creating.
Life is short, live your dream and wear your passion.”

Dalai Lama's secret to happiness

A woman I met recently asked why I was smiling all the time. This from the Dalai Lama pretty well sums it up. Its up to you.  I will be happy.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/newsmakers/conflict-peace-enlightenment-wisdom-dalai-lama-041130372.html?vp=1
“There is a Tibetan saying: ‘When things are difficult, then let yourself be happy.’ Otherwise, if happiness is relying on others or the environment or your surroundings, it’s not possible. Like an ocean, the waves always go like that but underneath, it always remains calm. So we have the ability as well. On an intellectual level, we may see things as desperate, difficult. But underneath, at the emotional level, you can keep calm.”

LIFE IS NOT ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORMS TO PASS. IT IS ABOUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN."

Damn I'm going to dance eventually, even if I have to do it with myself.
I actually like to walk in storms, both rain and snow.
http://viviangreene.org/

Superiority illusion arises from resting-state brain networks modulated by dopamine

You better hope you have this delusion if you want to have any chance at recovery. And your doctor better not try the nocebo effect to knock you down to size. I have this in abundance.
http://www.pnas.org/content/110/11/4363.abstract

Abstract

The majority of individuals evaluate themselves as superior to average. This is a cognitive bias known as the “superiority illusion.” This illusion helps us to have hope for the future and is deep-rooted in the process of human evolution. In this study, we examined the default states of neural and molecular systems that generate this illusion, using resting-state functional MRI and PET. Resting-state functional connectivity between the frontal cortex and striatum regulated by inhibitory dopaminergic neurotransmission determines individual levels of the superiority illusion. Our findings help elucidate how this key aspect of the human mind is biologically determined, and identify potential molecular and neural targets for treatment for depressive realism.

buttoning my pants

I'm heartbroken. I used to fit in 34 inch waist jeans, prior to stroke I conceded that I needed a 35 inch waist. Until now.
When I started back to work after 6 months my main concern was  not anything cognitive or ambulating to meetings, it was the ability to rebutton my pants if needed. I practiced. I noticed that it did require a metal stud button.  I  can't get my left hand to participate in any way at all to assist buttoning, but I have gotten very good at one-handed use. Today I tried to button a newly bought 35 inch waist pair of cords. It didn't work. As a temporary solution I'll have to get one of those waist button extenders. But it really means I have to accept the fact I need to buy 36 inch waist pants.
Damn this stroke, taking away my fantasy of still being fit.

Overcoming adversity

I knew Mark from the excellent stroke group run out of Park-Nicolet hospital in St. Louis Park, Mn.
Always cheerful and I consider myself upbeat.
www.overcomingadversity.com
and his writeup in the latest newsletter.

Been there-Done that

Driven

By: Mark Wilson

When did being dedicated, self-motivated and disciplined, become noteworthy or unusual?  Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate being noticed, but what does this say about our American culture?  Shouldn’t we raise the bar?

We need our youth to know it’s not ok to merely get by; but to raise their personal expectations.   As we say in the athletic community, “give 110 percent effort!”

It’s insulting to me, as a hard working primate, to see other survivor’s give-up. Lose hope- that should be a crime against nature! I understand limitations, but man-up people!

Developing physical health takes a lot of heart while mental resilience requires character.

While climbing the stairs at the hospital a Marine buddy inquired why another survivor we knew, didn’t use them.  I replied that I use the stairs “Because, I love this stuff”, he responded, “You would have made a good Marine!”

If we hit it hard, the struggle, can’t get us down!

Mental Activity May Keep Older Brains Healthy

See if your neurologist is prescribing this as part of your therapy. You wouldn't want to do this without their ok,  You know how dangerous independent thinking is.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/253166.php
Simple mental activity such as reading, writing, playing games and doing puzzles may protect brain health in old age, according to a new study being presented at a meeting in the US this weekend.

The study, presented at the 98th scientific assembly and annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago, is the work of Konstantinos Arfanakis and colleagues, from Rush University Medical Center and Illinois Institute of Technology.

"Reading the newspaper, writing letters, visiting a library, attending a play or playing games, such as chess or checkers, are all simple activities that can contribute to a healthier brain," says Arfanakis, an associate professor in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at Rush University Medical Center, in a press statement.

Rest at the link.

Mental strain helps maintain a healthy brain

A Harvard Health blog. Just think of the uses by your insurance to state that your stroke actually creates you a better brain because of all the strain involved. Thus you don't need no stinking cognition therapy.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/mental-strain-helps-maintain-a-healthy-brain-201211055495

High temporal discounters overvalue immediate rewards rather than undervalue future rewards: An event-related brain potential study

Something for the psychiatrist you will see in the hospital to consider  how you will react to your doctors presentation on how long/whether you will recover. And that should change the protocols that are given you for rehab.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/r6163q4527278820/

Abstract

Impulsivity is characterized in part by heightened sensitivity to immediate relative to future rewards. Although previous research has suggested that “high discounters” in intertemporal choice tasks tend to prefer immediate over future rewards because they devalue the latter, it remains possible that they instead overvalue immediate rewards. To investigate this question, we recorded the reward positivity, a component of the event-related brain potential (ERP) associated with reward processing, with participants engaged in a task in which they received both immediate and future rewards and nonrewards. The participants also completed a temporal discounting task without ERP recording. We found that immediate but not future rewards elicited the reward positivity. High discounters also produced larger reward positivities to immediate rewards than did low discounters, indicating that high discounters relatively overvalued immediate rewards. These findings suggest that high discounters may be more motivated than low discounters to work for monetary rewards, irrespective of the time of arrival of the incentives.