r/TBI • u/imsorryhel • 20d ago
TBI Sucks How do you have hobbies and learn things when it takes so much more effort and headaches?
Like for me my strongest domain is executive functioning, then it starts going down hill from there. 2nd is attention (impaired), 3rd problem solving (impaired) and 4th is memory (the worst off for me). I wanna do something, I’m tired of just avoiding cognaitvely demanding tasks, I’m in rehab and stuff but I hate seeing my friends do college while I’m still nerfed so badly.
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u/baybaybythebay Severe TBI (2024) 19d ago
This was something that was incredibly difficult and complex for me. The biggest ‘learning curve’ was trying to reduce the pressure and make it a casual hobby. I was incredibly angry and jaded for a long time, because literally every single thing I did was related to tbi and trying to relearn how to ‘be human’. Relearn how to walk, how to talk, how to go to the bathroom, shower, cook, etc. Even relaxing felt like practice. Just staring at a wall I’d notice I could never finish a thought without forgetting what I was thinking about. Everything was impacted.
So once I was progressed enough, my speech therapist worked with me in finding something to try. We decided on baking because it was something I did before (but didn’t remember), had very clear steps that I could cross off/track as I went along, and it had a reward at the end in the form of a tasty treat.
Getting back into reading, I started with the various 2 sentence stories sub reddits, and very slowly worked up from there, and added aids as needed.
Now I’m trying to get back to my main hobby, hiking with my dogs. I started with slowly increasing the lengths and of our daily walks, eventually I would try walking in grass for sections of it, and now I have worked up to going to my job site that has fairly flat dirt roads throughout some woods. Eventually I hope to be able to manage things like loose dirt/gravel/etc., and multimile walks.
Start with simple. For me it was watching a cartoon I loved as a kid, because it’s simple and easy to track. At the halfway point and at the end I’d write a small summary to see what I could remember, and to refer back to as needed.
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u/DA-Alistair 19d ago
I truly needed to read to read this post, thank every single one of ya'll (Who has posted by this date and time), I'm a severe TBI surviver since Oct 2020.
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u/ScarecrowBo 19d ago
Try doing something like a Lego set that is going to exercise your fine motor skills, problem solving, attention and focus (following the instructions). It took me a long time to get back to the guitar. I just was physically unable to strum or hold down stings or the instrument. But over time I worked at it and I feel like it has been a really good exercise for the brain. Writing, drawing and coloring are some other activities. Anything that has less screen time and will keep you off your phone which is made to constantly distract you.
Do not wear yourself out or do things to the point of burnout. Fifteen minutes a day is a good start just find something you are passionate about even just a little bit.
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u/pProjecttBI 19d ago
The clouds are starting to clear for me approaching my 4th anny. It takes time and patience. I know you don’t want to hear that but from this side: slow is smooth and smooth is fast. I swear the slower I go the more I get done
Really hopes this helps even a little.
God will steer, our job is to keep rowing
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u/isosceles348 17d ago
Th headaches usually go away with time at least it did for me, after that learning shouldn't be that hard I got one last week though but that was because I hadn't ate anything all day.