Changes to personality after a diving incident.

[Sparrowlegs]

Has anyone any experience with changes to personality after a diving incident. My husband had a diving accident. He ended up in the hyperbaric chamber for several days. He has 50% hearing loss in one ear. The psychological issues have been far worse. Addicted to being on his phone, not very communicative, short tempered, anti-social. He was always a little like this but things are much worse. He went to the GP for counselling but it was never followed up. We are living separately now is there anyone out there who has had asimilar experience.

 

[Storker]

I'm not in any way a medical professional, but given the symptoms you describe I'd suspect some kind of PTSD-induced depression. Try to get him to seek professional help ASAP.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Losing your hearing can make a person withdrawn and grumpy.

I'm assuming that the accident has kept him out of the water since, which would make me even more grumpy than usual.

Have you tried to discuss this with him yourself? If so, what does he tell you?

 

[Wookie]

I’m guessing a vestibular hit? Yes, I experienced very similar symptoms, and I’m told they last forever. My wife is very patient. I can see how, if I were a different person it would be overwhelming. My treatment in the chamber only took once, and I had immediate relief, but treatment was delayed a week, as no one believed anything was wrong with me.

Good luck to both of you. I ended up being treated by one of the premier hyperbaric physicians in the country. She knew exactly what was wrong with me immediately. So did DAN when I finally got back to the states.

 

[elbig]

Speaking of DAN, have you called them? They are a wealth of resources.

 

[Wookie]

My wife (who studies such things) hypothesizes that the withdrawal is mostly from the sudden hearing loss. I go to the doctor Thursday for fitting for hearing aids.

 

[Sparrowlegs]

Thank you for yr replies. He had a brain scan and nothing was diagnosed other than damage to his ear. Sorry its not more specific.

 

[Sparrowlegs]

The diving incident happened a few years ago now. I got him to go to the GP but then his appointment to see someone in mental health never came and he never bothered flowing it up. After talking to him he did improve a bit and it's complicated. When we split up he refused to talk about things. He told me he had been emotionally devoid since his diving accident. Obviously there was alot more at play than just the accident.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Are you able to tell us more about his dive accident?

 

[Sparrowlegs]

The diving incident happened a few years ago now. I got him to go to the GP but then his appointment to see someone in mental health never came and he never bothered flowing it up. After talking to him he did improve a bit and it's complicated. When we split up he refused to talk about things. He told me he had been emotionally devoid since his diving accident. Obviously there was alot more at play than just the accident.

He gave up diving but his world became v small. He wasn't the most sociable to start with but I think the accident exacerbated things.