Project for brain injury
    

Video // Flooding 

Becoming Overwhelmed After Brain Injury

Many brain injury victims experience sensory overload of the brain and by cognitive and emotional 'flooding'. By:

•      sounds

•      image

•      light

•      feeling, to be touched, moved or vibrations are felt

•      odor, taste

•      own thoughts

•      multitude what is said or asked

In overstimulation panic feeling can take possession of the brain-injured. Someone may be sweating, have tremors, vomiting, and thinking is difficult. 

These are the basic reactions of the body to survive in a situation that is perceived as very dangerous. It is also called the fight or flight response. The one man shall flee from the overstimulation of the noise or stimulus of the moment. The other man will be out of impotence. Most of them are very upset first.

The basic emotion of fear and the ensuing responses are generated and directed by the amygdala. The amygdala is part of the oldest part of the brains, the limbic system. This system is a kind of emotional sentry. All that matters is survival. If there is danger, directly adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol are released into the body to flight, fight or freeze. 

At the same time, the neo-cortex also called the rational mind will stop the mind from thinking. Because, after all, in threatening situations lacking the time to decide what the best plan of action will be.
A rapid response of the amygdala thus ensures that we can avoid the danger before we realize that we find ourselves in such a situation. 

 
Summary:

By over stimulation people are no longer able to rationally deal with the situation. Fear prevails and the amygdala creates a fight-flight-or freeze reaction. But our statistics prove that people after a while learn how to cope with fear that in the beginning comes along with flooding.

It is often said that it is all in your head

Unfortunately flooding /sensory over stimulation can't be seen, unless sometimes in some individuals signs like sweating or a red head...or people think that you are in panic. For it reminds them in a way of that.

It is not like in a Hollywood movie where victims of brain injury are knocked out and lay the rest of their life in a bed on machines.

If you are not believed by your family or insurance company or co-workers you cannot convince them. Perhaps facts sheets can...they only have to read them.

Perhaps this site and www.braininjury-explanation.com will convince them that a lot of effects of acquired brain injury are invisible. 

Thank you all for filling out he survey;

the questionnaire about flooding /over stimulation from the senses.
We are working to get  insight in all these statistics and hope to let it result in a good investigation.