According to the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), every nine seconds, someone in the United States sustains a brain injury. To help raise awarness of brain injuries, every March, the BIAA leads the nation in observing Brain Injury Awareness Month.
A brain injury can affect a person’s thoughts, acts, and feelings. The Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) says that 32% of all traumatic brain injuries occur in adults aged 75 years and older. Males are two times more likely to be hospitalized and three times more likely to suffer a TBI-related death than females.
American Indian/Alaska Native children and adults have higher rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths than other racial or ethnic groups. Factors that may contribute to this disparity include difficulties accessing appropriate healthcare as well as higher rates of motor vehicle crashes, substance abuse and suicide.
The leading causes of TBI in the United States are falls (28%), motor vehicle traffic crashes (20%), and assaults (11%). Blasts are a leading cause of TBI for active-duty military personnel in war zones, with an estimated 50% or more of combat injuries being related to blast injuries.
Other common causes of brain injuries are youth sports and recreational activities such as riding a bicycle and all-terrain vehicles (ATV).
Craig Northcutt was in a side-by-side ATV doing a Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) survey with his good friend and current District 9 councilmember, James Dry, when his life changed in a matter of seconds. Northcutt says that the ATV flipped as they made a fast turn while chasing off some coyotes.
Northcutt’s injuries were severe, but he was still conscious and able to walk initially. Dry called 911 and was headed to the road to meet the ambulance when Northcut quit breathing. Dry administered CPR twice that night while friends at the deer camp called and told dispatchers that a helicopter was needed instead.
From that moment, it was a fight to save his life.
“They flew me to Parkland and took off part of my skull because my brain was still bleeding and swelling,” Northcutt said.
When Northcutt finally woke up and was told about his injuries, he remembers thinking, “What the heck is a TBI?”
“He [the doctor] said I also had a stroke, and I would likely never walk, talk, work or drive,” Northcutt said.
Northcutt was told he only had a 5% chance of living a normal life, and people who have a brain injury never fully recover.
Brain injury survivors report ongoing problems with things changes in sleeping habits, such as sleeping poorly or sleeping more than usual, loss of interest in activities or relationships, change in appetite, and increased use or misuse of substances like alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.
When checking into rehab, Northcutt was asked what his first two goals were. He told them that he wanted to be able to go to the bathroom while standing up and to walk out of the rehab center. When he reached that first goal, Northcutt said he was ecstatic.
When he reached the second goal, Northcutt says the therapist told him that he [Northcutt] would never let his TBI define him.
“That was me,” said Northcutt. “I never wanted to let it [TBI] define who I am or what I can do.”
It’s been 10 years since the accident, and Northcutt works full-time at the Choctaw Nation despite being told by doctors that he may never work again.
Northcutt credits his faith with getting to that point. Every Sunday, his preacher would pray over him, asking God to give him the ability to walk, work and drive again. Those prayers were answered.
TBIs have a devastating impact on society, yet despite their pervasiveness, TBIs remain, for the most part, a silent epidemic. According to a recent national survey, only one in three Americans are familiar with the term “brain injury.”
People rarely associate TBI’s with concussions. However, William Cochran would like to change that.
Cochran is a semi-pro strongman competitor currently attending marketing school and wants to combine the two skills to increase awareness of TBIs.
Cochran worked as a officer in Frisco, Texas, near the Stars Center.
“I was leaving through the parking garage. I don’t remember this, but a security officer who worked there told me three guys were vandalizing something. I told them to stop politely and then walked off,” said Cochran. “I guess they didn’t like that, so they came up from behind, hit me and cracked my skull open.”
Cochran woke up a month later after being in a medically induced coma. “The neurologist told my parents, when he wakes up, we don’t know what state he’s going to be in,” said Cochran. “He could be a vegetable, or he could just be a little worse for wear; it’s hard to say.”
Like Northcutt, Cochran is a testament to not letting a TBI define you. He began to compete at a high level after doctors told him he would probably never lift weights again.
A year and a half later, Cochran is not only lifting but competing—and doing well. The stats don’t lie; Cochran can currently bench press 485 pounds, squat in the 700-pound range, and deadlift close to the same.
Cochran says one of the strange side effects of the TBI is losing his sense of smell.
“Everything smells like one thing, and I cannot tell you what that smell is,” said Cochran. “Something foul smells the same as if I just cooked a delicious steak or if I just put on some cologne; they all smell the same.”
There are many other side effects of TBI. A few of the most common are headaches or neck pain that don’t go away, difficulty remembering, concentrating and getting lost or easily confused.
Another common side effect of TBIs that doesn’t just affect the person with the injuries but their friends and family as well is depression and suicide.
While Northcutt didn’t have thoughts of taking his own life, he would pray for God to take it for him, saying, “God, kill me; kill me; make me die right now.”
According to Northcutt, when the sun came up, he heard an answer, plain as day, like it was being spoken next to him, “If you want to die, keep praying, and you will die because I answer prayers.”
That’s when it hit him: Northcutt didn’t want to die. He had a daughter to take care of and a life to live.
Suicide attempts are more common in individuals who have sustained a brain injury, and nearly half of all brain injury survivors report symptoms of depression.
Patients who have experienced a TBI are twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts, and the risk of depression after a brain injury increases whether the injury is mild, moderate or severe.
If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of depression or thoughts of suicide, it’s important to get help. You can call or text 988 to talk directly with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Northcutt and Cochran are examples of what can be achieved through great struggles.
James Dry says Northcutt inspires him.
“When I think about perseverance, I think about Craig,” said Dry. “Any challenges I face are nothing compared to what Craig has faced.”
The causes of brain injuries vary greatly, but you can still take steps to prevent them.
Don’t drive when you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Always wear a seat belt while in a vehicle.
Wear a helmet while on a bicycle, motorcycle, ATV or horseback. Also, wear a helmet during contact or extreme sports like skateboarding, basketball, softball or football.
Take precautions to avoid falls around your home.
Keep firearms unloaded and locked away.
According to the CDC, the first few days after a mild TBI or concussion are the most important. Taking time off work and resting for one to two days are good first steps. Once you begin to feel better, relaxing activities like reading or short walks can benefit you. If your symptoms don’t go away within a few weeks or worsen, you should talk to your healthcare provider.
You can find brain injury support resources at www.cdc.gov.