Emotional Issues Associated with BI
Substance Abuse Quiz
Last Updated:
Alcohol, other drugs and brain injury often go together—both before and after an injury. Alcohol is present in 20% of all brain injuries, and is a major factor in moving vehicle crashes, and injuries resulting from violence. Whether or not a person was intoxicated at the time of their injury, more than half of adults treated in rehabilitation units have a pre-injury history of substance abuse or substance dependence. People with these problems before their injury tend to do more poorly, both in the hospital and after. Substance use histories are associated with more severe injuries, more medical complications, later unemployment, more legal problems, and lower life satisfaction.
Whether or not a brain injury was caused by using alcohol or other drugs, after an injury the brain reacts differently. Everyone who has a brain injury should rethink their use of alcohol and other drugs. Let's see what you know about alcohol, other drugs and brain injury. Answer each item true or false.
- People who use alcohol or other drugs after they
have had a brain injury don't recover as much. True or false? - Brain injuries cause problems in balance, walking
or talking that get worse when a person uses
alcohol or other drugs. True or false? - People who have had a brain injury often say or
do things without thinking first, a problem that
is made worse by using alcohol and other drugs. True or false? - Brain injuries cause problems with thinking, like
concentration or memory, and using alcohol or
other drugs makes these problems worse. True or false? - After brain injury, alcohol and other drugs have
a more powerful effect. True or false? - People who have had a brain injury are more
likely to have times that they feel low or
depressed and drinking alcohol and getting high
on other drugs makes this worse. True or false? - After a brain injury, drinking alcohol or using
other drugs can cause a seizure. True or false? - People who drink alcohol or use other drugs
after a brain injury are more likely to have
another brain injury. True or false?
Answers to the Quiz: There are eight questions, but there is only one answer - TRUE! These consequences of use have lead us to conclude that the only healthy advice we can give is to simply not drink alcohol or use illegal drugs after injury.
The effects of alcohol and other drugs are different for people after a brain injury. If you have a brain injury, take the time to study the facts. Read. Think. Decide for yourself. For more information, visit www. ohiovalley.org.
Dr. Corrigan is a Professor and Director of the Division of Rehabilitation Psychology in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Ohio State University. Dr. Corrigan is the founder and director of the Ohio Valley Center for Brain Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation. He also directs the TBI Network, a community-based treatment program for substance abuse after brain injury. Dr. Corrigan has served on the board of directors of the Brain Injury Association of America and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). He serves on the Advisory Committee on Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Corrigan is board certified in Rehabilitation Psychology and is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, as well as the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. In 2001 he received the William Fields Caveness Award from the Brain Injury Association of America for lifetime research contributions to the quality of life of persons with brain injury.
Gary L. Lamb-Hart, M.Div., CCDC III, ICADC, is the Center Manager for the Ohio Valley Center for Brain Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation at Ohio State University. He is also a Team Leader for the Center’s efforts in substance abuse prevention and education following brain injury. He makes presentations to a wide range of professionals, survivors and family members about the issues of substance abuse and brain injury throughout the United States and has co-authored several articles, a book chapter and materials on this subject. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Science from Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona and a Master of Divinity degree from the Iliff School of Theology, Denver, Colorado.
The information provided on this site is designed to support, not replace, the relationship between patient/site visitor and physician. Unless otherwise indicated, all articles and materials are copyrighted by BIRF. © 2003-2005 Brain Injury Resource Foundation. All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial use. Permissions for other uses may be granted by contacting our Permissions Office.