Heads Up Alaska: Inside Support Groups

TBI support groups help people feel understood when no words are spoken.

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By Nick Swann

Story Created: Feb 28, 2013 at 4:20 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Apr 30, 2013 at 8:48 AM AKDT

ANCHORAGE – March 1 is the first day of traumatic brain injury (TBI) awareness month.

TBI’s are a life changing injury, leaving many to feel isolated from the rest of the community. However, there is one place where they don’t even need to speak a word to feel understood.

CBS 11 photojournalist Nick Swann takes you inside a special group where everyone is committed to supporting each other.

Click the video player above to watch this "Heads Up Alaska" story.

For all of the stories in KTVA’s "Heads Up Alaska" traumatic brain injury series, click here.

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TERRY said on Saturday, Mar 23 at 10:56 PM

I know something is wrong. I've known it for some time but tried to ignore it. I had doctors drug me saying it was mental illness when it was grief. I had others say it was from the meds. Still others said it was "just me" ... but things didn't add up. It's not personality to have your left side drag. It's not a mental illness to forget the names of your friends. LIFELONG friends or your favorite flower. It's not normal to talk 1000 wpm at 50 but not at 40. Something happened. LOTS of somethings happened as it turns out. A series of head injuries where I lost consciousness, several TIA's, a brain lesion a year per MRI's and two heart attacks (with long periods without oxygen) added up! I was tested last week by a wonderful neuropsychologist to see what IS wrong! Is it TBI, mental illness, environment, personality or some of each, or none? Or WHAT?! I just know one thing: I am not the same person I was 13 years ago. Maybe I can find out what it is and then, start trying to fix it!

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