TBI: The Invisible Affliction.

Kiwis.

We’ll drink from the garden hose. 

Leave our shoes at home. 

Brush off bruises with a smirky ‘she’ll be right’ attitude. 

Our unbothered resilience precedes us; not only on the global stage, but also in our own social and professional circles. Yet, as we scramble to live up to this reputation—being the most effortlessly chill and totally fine person in the room—reflecting on the state of our mental health has become less of a priority.

While we have been making promising strides in mental health awareness – it’s clear we maintain a heightened disregard for other invisible afflictions adding to our concerning stats. 

Every 15 minutes, a New Zealander sustains a brain injury; that’s anything from a mild concussion to a brain aneurysm. Even when mild, the results can be permanently life-altering. Headaches, fatigue, and light sensitivity are just a few of the physical symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI); while depression, anxiety, and personality disorders are some of the lesser-known and overlooked consequences. 

“I’d be working retail. Which is fine. I just wouldn’t be doing what I wanted to do. I’d want to be living at home, you know?” 

26 year-old Madeleine has come a long way since her first concussion at the age of 11. Once an aspiring football player, she grew up adjusting her lifestyle to an ever-changing reality: putting her mental and physical health before her love of sports. 

“It was during a game of ripper rugby. I was intentionally taken down by a girl twice within two minutes. I was a runt, like so much smaller than everyone, meaning my tags were lower, so they were getting pissed off.”

“The concussion was mild, and I bounced back. But the professional advice at that stage was to be checked on every hour and not to sleep too much – that was kind of it.” 

Fully recovered, you’d assume there’d be little more to worry about. Fast forward to high school, Madeleine continued to pursue her football scholarship dreams, until a regular training day resulted in her second concussion at the age of 16. 

“It affected me so much. To the point where I would be getting intensely frustrated with things I wouldn't normally get frustrated with. I was still so young. I couldn't articulate it.”

Knowing what she does now, Madeleine admits it would be difficult to separate the less familiar symptoms of concussion from general puberty woes in younger Kiwis.

“Kids are so moody and there's so much going on in their lives – they don't even know what behaviours or feelings are considered normal or not. They can't properly communicate their feelings and that’s one of the craziest things about concussions. Symptoms can take up to six months to appear – and can easily be disregarded as ‘growing pains’.”

Thankfully, Madeline had something not every teenager has the privilege of – a close and open relationship with a parent. 

“It was just me and mum at home, so she was getting the brunt of it. And she was also struggling between, ‘Oh, my daughter's a teenager, she's got hormones, she's just finding herself’, and, ‘No, this is abnormal’.”

As we spoke, Madeleine’s experience made something very clear: heightened TBI awareness and open communication were crucial, not only for her recovery, but for each early diagnosis. Without a caring support system, and funded medical resources, her future could have looked very different. Especially considering the unshakable stigma that follows mental injury. 

“The problem with invisible injuries is that you’re constantly exhausted from having to justify your condition. From high school teachers not believing my symptoms, to ACC protocols that had me jumping through hoops, week by week, just to prove I’m still suffering […] In the midst of recovery, an hour-long phone call would lead to 48 hours of fatigue.” 

Amidst the daily challenges came some relief found in the physiotherapists committed to Madeleine’s steady recovery over the years. Their passion and dedication proving pivotal in her overall wellbeing – particularly in 2020 when Madeleine endured her fourth and most severe concussion.

“I had just met my current partner and we were going for a walk up Mount Albert. Not playing sports – I was barely raising my heart rate. The thing is, I was so focused on watching my footing along the trail, knowing I was more prone to injury, that I walked head-first into a low hanging tree branch.” 

The next morning, Madeleine awoke to excruciating pain, as though her body was on fire. Flamed by years of successive brain trauma, the repercussions of each incident had become harder and harder to snuff out. 

Living extra cautiously, Madeleine flinches to sudden peripheral movements – her sensitivity, again, a result of constantly dealing with the immense consequences of concussion impact and recovery. Consequences that aren’t just physical, but social too. 

“It's just as hard for the people supporting, as it is for the people who are concussed. But those supporters can switch off from it. They can go back to their normal day.”

“So be patient. Be gentle. Suggest to go for a five minute walk – anything you can do to get those in recovery back into the swing of things. Most importantly, help them do their research – they won’t have the mental capacity to do any themselves.” 

Concussion research and treatment has come a long way since Madeleine's first concussion – she knows all too well the importance of keeping a trained and engaged brain. 

“Everyone should be practising mental wellness in all aspects. There are plenty of apps like Relax Plus and sleep hygiene techniques that work wonders for strengthening your brain and protecting its daily recovery – whether you’ve had past concussions or not.” 

Having such intimate knowledge about concussions is no privilege, but there’s hope for positivity, yet. If sharing even a fraction of her understanding can help prevent more Kiwis from enduring the same experiences she did, then it becomes a valuable and worthwhile journey.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and continuing on her goal to spread awareness, Madeleine is running 10km every day to raise money for Brain Injury NZ. Support her effort here, https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/brain-injury-awareness-month-donate-to-win. 

If you’re not in a position to spend cash, she accepts company too. Just wear your best runners – she’s not letting past injuries hold her back.

Head to her instagram profile to follow her progress on Instagram.

Or, add her on Strava.