Within the past decade, the popularity of the topic of concussions has risen greatly. Many different articles as well as Hollywood films have been based on concussions, yet most of these pieces all seem to have something in common. This mutual topic is that concussions are more than just a four to eight-week brain injury. It has been believed for many years that the concussion is just another injury that needs the right treatment to be healed, yet this seems to be a dangerous belief due to the amounts of medical cases surfacing over the past decade. These cases range from retired athletes to the average human beings, all who seem to be dealing with similar brain problems. Many people do not consider the long-term aspect when thinking about concussions and this must change. The general public needs to be aware of the long-term consequences of concussions like being diagnosed with depression, losing physical ability, and the increase in susceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and many other life changing problems. I believe severe concussions do lead to negative long-term side effects, such as depression, considering the abundant cases of people experiencing side effects of past concussions. 

According to the Head Health Management System, around two million to three point nine million concussions occur yearly. This large number isn’t a comforting one due to the scary aspects of a concussion. A concussion is a form of brain trauma that occurs when the brain hits into the skull in the midst of a head impact. The brain is a rather fragile organ, surrounded by spinal fluid to cushion the brain during everyday functions. However, if the head is severely hit this cushion can only do so much to prevent the brain from crashing into the skull and hurting itself. Neural pathways in the brain and spine can become damaged, causing our brain to think and act differently than it did before the impact. Concussions can cause serious and even permanent damage to our brain if they are severe enough. Certain, extreme cases of concussions report swelling and bleeding within the brain that leads to death. Repeated occurrences, especially without proper healing and time, also have been known to cause long-term harm and possible death. 

A traumatic brain injury could be caused by any severe impact to the head or body. Common causes of traumatic brain injury include car accidents, falls, fights, and many more. Wearing a protective helmet when participating in sports or riding bikes is a certain way to prevent children from receiving concussions. Also, informing children on the importance of safety will increase a child’s safety whether they are playing for fun or in a competitive game. Whenever concussions are brought up, sports are the first thing on peoples’ minds. Concussions are highly common in sports such as rugby, skiing, football, hockey, professional fighting, soccer, and more. High school athletes, in particular, are experiencing more and more concussions – 1 in 5 high school athletes will sustain a concussion this year (Head Case). To preserve the health of young athletes, coaches, trainers, parents and especially the players themselves should be aware of concussion’s effects and how to treat one. Without experienced coaches and trainers, young athletes are put at more of a risk to experience the terrible effects of concussions.

Concussions are known to cause temporary loss of brain function, which leads to cognitive, physical, and emotional symptoms. Among the numerous effects of a concussion; confusion, vomiting, headaches, nausea, depression, heart rate irregularities, digestive issues, loss of sleep, moodiness, seizures, amnesia, and dementia are most common. Dr. Maryse Lassonde, a neuropsychologist at the Quebec Nature and Technologies Granting Agency, conducted a study on members of the Montreal Canadians professional hockey team who suffered from severe head trauma. She conducted visual and auditory tests on the athletes to evaluate the extent of the brain damage following a hard hit. Her study revealed that there is abnormal brain wave activity and depreciating motor pathways years after the concussion occurred. Among older and retired athletes, the effects are even greater. According to Joseph Nordqvist in his article, “Concussions Cause Long-Term Effects Lasting Decades,” a recent study compared healthy athletes to those of the same age who suffered a concussion more than thirty years ago.  The results displayed that those who experience severe head trauma had similar symptoms to those suffering early stages of Parkinson’s disease. Furthermore, those experiencing concussions have thinned cortexes in the same part of the brain as those with Alzheimer’s disease. This thinning is directly associated with memory loss and attention decline and proves concussions should not be taken lightly. 

The long-term effects of untreated or mistreated concussions can be wide ranging and show up in various aspects of life. Student athletes who suffer concussions are obviously sidelined from the game until healthy, but they may miss weeks or even months in the classroom while recovering from a concussion, which can be detrimental in multiple ways. Schoolwork and about anything else requiring concentration is almost impossible due to eye pain, blurred vision, memory loss, fatigue and attention deficit disorder. Even in the office, focus, attention and coordination are just as, if not more essential as they are in the classroom. These actions are significantly impaired following a head injury, which leads to worsening job performance. If a concussion was left untreated or improperly treated, decreased work hours, absence leaves, demotions, unemployment and even further injury are likely to occur. Also, relationships are threatened by concussions, as it can be difficult to communicate and develop meaningful relationships with others when dealing with the struggles of a brain injury. Symptoms such as chronic pain, emotional impairment, and lack of interest can damage relationships with family, friends, classmates, and colleagues. 

Though it is often ignored, concussions can cause serious damage to one’s mental health. Depression is especially common after a traumatic brain injury. Depression, as defined by the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center, is a feeling of sadness, loss, despair, or hopelessness that does not get better over time and is overwhelming enough to interfere with daily life. Feeling sad is normal following a traumatic brain injury, however prolonged sadness is often a key sign of depression. About 50% of all people with past concussions are affected by depression and severe anxiety within the first year after the injury and nearly 66% are affected within seven years according Dr. Frank Webbe in his eBook, The Handbook of Sports Neuropsychology.f

Many factors contribute to depression following a concussion, and they vary greatly from one person to another. The brain experiences physical and emotional reactions after a traumatic head injury. A patient’s depression may be a result of an injury to the areas of the brain controlling emotions. Any impact to the head can cause changes in the levels of neurotransmitters, a substance throughout the body that transmits nerve impulses, and lead to depression as it worsens. Following the impact, patients can struggle to adjust to temporary or permanent disabilities, role changes, and everyday life. These sudden changes can cause serious anxiety to someone who was recently active and could also lead to depression since they cannot do the things they used to. There are also factors unrelated to the injury that vary greatly for every individual. Some people have higher risks for depression than others due to genes, family history, and many other influences that were present prior to the concussion. 

Dr. Gayatri Devi at the Lenox Hill Hospital states that patients are likely to be more irritable, anxious and depressed when recovering from serious head trauma, which puts them at a higher risk for depression and other behavioral issues. Also, if one were to re-injure themselves while having or recovering from a concussion, this doubles the risk for long-term problems. In Dr. Devi’s YouTube video, she supplied MRI’s of injured and healed brains following a concussion. Her images revealed a serious lack in brain functionality and that certain parts of the brain affecting emotions were severely damaged. As a result of concussion-caused behavioral issues, it makes it even more difficult for hospitals and trainers to rehabilitate people recovering from concussions, a process that should be taken cautiously. Some indicators of depression during recovery include difficulty concentrating, severe headaches, and dizziness. 

If one were to experience symptoms of depression after a traumatic brain injury, it is crucial that they seek professional help as soon as possible. Depression is difficult to recognize, considering it is a mental illness, and most people suffering from the disease will choose to isolate themselves. One cannot get over depression by wishing it away or fighting through the disorder, it is a medical problem that needs to be treated professionally. The best option is to seek treatment early following a concussion to prevent worsening symptoms. Most treatments involve antidepressant medications or psychotherapy counseling sessions to treat people who have depression. The bottom line is there is hope for those suffering from the effects of a concussion. Many mental health professionals, physicians, neurologists, physiatrists, social workers and licensed counselors are qualified to treat and provide counseling for depression. For people dealing with depression, the most effective types of therapy involve day-to-day behavior and thinking. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people adjust the way they behave, think, and feel about things that happen to them according to the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center. CBT has been proven to reduce depression for patients and specializes in people who have thinking and memory problems as a result of a concussion. Another type of therapy, behavioral activation therapy, helps people who have depression become more active. The therapy allows patients in beginning to enjoy pleasurable activities as they did before a traumatic brain injury and to improve their mood. Most people recovering from concussions do best by combining antidepressants with counselor sessions. Other types of therapy such as exercise and support groups have been shown to be helpful towards treating depression. 

Concussions lead to a disruption in brain activity. The symptoms in the hours following a severe concussion range from temporary loss of consciousness to nausea and vomiting. However, with rest, these symptoms generally diminish within a couple days or weeks. Most immediate damage from a concussion is hard to detect using CT scans or MRIs, which can negatively affect those who are experiencing the concussion. If a concussion’s short-term effects eventually go away and are difficult to detect, then it is easy for people to ignore the reality of the injury. According to Nikita Bajwa and Shina Halavi at the School of Behavioral Health at Loma Linda University, an overwhelming amount of coaches, parents and children would be comfortable with athletes going back into the game without a doctor’s permission. According to this study, parents and coaches don’t detect symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, or nausea as a possible concussion. Young athletes with developing bodies and brains need to be more careful for their safety or else the number of concussions in high school sports will continue to increase. 

Athletes must be carefully treated following a concussion and kept off the field no matter their desire to play, which turns out to be a common issue in the NFL and other professional sports. There is a culture among athletes today to play through the pain and resist compliance for injuries, such as concussions. Due to the fact that concussions aren’t physically graphic such as a bloody nose, players can hide their symptoms and continue to play risking their safety. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital recently conducted a study on 119 high school football players and found that 75% appear to have some concussion symptoms. They also asked the players if they knew the risk of returning to the field following a head impact and found that 92% were aware of the consequences. The scary statistic is that only 54% said that they would report symptoms of a concussion to a coach or trainer. For the other 46%, they could choose to continue and play through the symptoms, and risk serious long-term negative effects on their brain and body. 

While most young athletes want to be on the field and in the action, not being truthful about their condition could keep the same child from experiencing the benefits of sports in the future. Older generations are responsible for informing young athletes on the importance of reporting concussions. Knowing concussion risks and symptoms, wearing proper equipment, and practicing good sportsmanship can prevent concussions. Sometimes, a head injury can be worse than it appears to be and the player may not even know. Even though there may be no visible bump or bleeding, swelling and bleeding can secretly occur inside the brain. Children and teens may not report traumatic head impacts and their symptoms may go unnoticed. The risk of a second impact is a matter between life, death, or long-term disabilities. It’s extremely important that young children involved in sports understand how to recognize signs of a concussion and know what to do if a concussion occurs. 

Kurt Warner is a Hall-of-Fame quarterback who once strapped his helmet on for Sundays and the most dangerous game in America. More importantly, he is aware of the dangers of concussions as a result of playing the game. This famous quarterback recently said that as a parent, the thought of his sons playing football scares him. Sports such as football aren’t necessarily about the money or the success, but rather the players. While people continue to diminish the seriousness of concussions, they forget the raw truth about head trauma. Head injuries have become more common in the past decade, yet the public is very unaware of the consequences of concussions. Long-term effects like depression, memory loss, or even Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease are all possible down the road. Knowledge on symptoms, safety precautions, proper treatment and recovery can translate into fewer concussions. Athletes’ health has taken the backseat as people continue to ignore concussions and this must change to ensure the safety and long-term health of young athlete’s in the future.
