Concussions have become very serious issues in recent years, parially in thanks to professional athletic organizations. Each person can have very different symptoms depending on the severity of the concussion and the person who was hit. Once you take a severe hit to the head, your thought process becomes interupted. And while most people are starting to understand that concussions need t be taken seriously, very few understand what it's like to have one.
It's hard to focus when you have a concussion. Partially because it hurts to stare at something for very long. And another reason is that your brain just may have trouble concentrating on one idea for very long. You can connect two completely opposie topics and in your head it makes sense but for others, it may be hard to follow. Having a concussion is like having a constant headache. Slowly it goes away, but until then you take lots of tylonel or advil to help. Other symptoms you might experience are drowsiness, not sleeping enough or sleeping too much, sensitivty to light and sound, dizziness, nasuea, and sometimes vomiting. There's no set symptoms so they can be incredibly hard to diagnose. Some of these symptoms like a headace or not sleeping enough don't seem abnormal to most college students, so they may not realize they have a concussion.
Most people are required to limit mental stimulation. No music, phones, computers, tv, books, or pretty much anything. These can slow progress as your brain attempts to return to normal. You also have to limit your physical activity. Once you're cleared from having a concussion, it's a process to work back. You start slowing with riding a bike, then running, then who knows what.
With my concussion, I was lucky enough to have understanding professors. They gave me paper extensions and let me take tests a couple days later to make sure that I had enough time to study. For awhile it was hard for me to listen and take notes in class which put me far behind.
Seeing how long it took me to work though my second concussion makes me scared if I have another one. It will only take longer to heal. But in the end, I'm back to practicing and I caught up on my school work. But the next time you're talking to someone with a concussion, just please don't judge if the conversation takes random jumps, their brain is just a little rattled.
