If you’re like me, and you have nervous system damage that goes along with your brain injury, at least I theorizeb that’s what’s technically going on with me…
you might have panic attacks because of sudden unexpected noise whether it’s from a person or a TV or a celebration sort of noise maker at New Year’s… or flashing light from a camera, etcetera, these are things that can give me a panic attacks on nervous system overload to where I need to go into a silent room to rest for several hours at a time to maybe even be well enough to be around socialization again. My traumatic brain injury was in my right prefrontal cortex we’re mainly socialising is handled. So anyway here’s an example of a group message I used Facebook to send to a few of my most supportive and trusted family members I’ll be seeing at Christmas and maybe it will give you some ideas that you can use to support your family member and an easy way to ask for the help you need 
I hope it helps much love to you all :-)Hallo loves, I so want to see you all and enjoy your company at Christmas:blush:
I’m sorry to report I have some new difficulties, now that my brain can receive more information - it’s sometimes too much for it to handle unfortunately. I’m asking you all for a bit of help, my trusted support network thank you so very much for being there for me!
A few things that will help me avoid panick attacks or nervous system overload-
I’m very sorry to ask this, but I’ll already be weak from traveling - I now get motion sickness and going fast, like on the highway and freeway - is like torture now, very difficult…I only have a small reserve of energy to handle everything - noise is a big difficulty… especially loud volume…
If you’re all playing cards, I know this will be difficult, but can you all try to lower your volume? I’d be eternally grateful! My skin nerves can’t even quite handle loud…not just my ears…
I will try to go be alone in the quiet to recover from a sound or emotional shock…if it comes up…but I’m very afraid I won’t find one, especially because of dad’s loud TV addiction…
I also rarely have one and am well practiced at taking the steps i need in preventing them, but sometimes I panick, which can involve me uncontrollably yelling what I need. I greatly apologize in advance if I do this, it’s kind of an automated uncontrollable thing…but I do not at all wish to scare anyone or make them uncomfortable! I apologize in advance! Please forgive me.
I might have to yell, turn the TV down! Because often in the loud Bass in TVs and the high-pitched frequency cam really shocked me. And I’m just trying to estimate my troubles , but I might end up yelling please be quiet. Again I apologize if this happens I’m taking all the steps ahead of time but I think might help prevent this, and I think just letting you guys know that if you see me come into the room and you turn down the volume a bit that will really really really help me out! Thank you so much for even reading this message.
Already a couple of you have said you’ll help me with this next one, thank you! I really really needs to be sure to have a spot to sleep in the basement, farthest away from Dads TV. Can you guys help support me if Dad won’t use his headphones or closed captioning just helping remind him that he needs to do that? I can’t sleep upstairs with him even when he was his headphones or closed captioning because the flashing lights doesn’t let me sleep and can bring me close to a seizure. Another thing about flashing lights is can you help remind grandma that she can’t take a picture with her camera if she’s sitting next to me because the flashing light can give me a panic attack. I’m very sorry that I’m like this it’s not my choice and I wouldn’t be like this if I had a choice. And I love grandma and sometimes I’ll just forget that I shouldn’t sit next to her if she might have a camera so your help would be very much appreciated. I hope you know that I just love you all including dad and grandma it’s just that I am really weak sometimes and need some help dealing with some things.
Another thing I would greatly greatly appreciate is if you guys see me at all close to giving in to Temptation and eating some gluten, will you remind me that I won’t be able to sleep if I eat it the pain will gets to be too bad and then I won’t be able to enjoy anyone’s company because I can’t socialize when I don’t have enough sleep. I also really need help avoiding the temptation of alcohol because if I have any I will get so sleepy because it interacts with a medicine I take already and then I also won’t be able to enjoy socializing. I really really want to be able to enjoy all of your company and have a brain that works well enough to communicate with you about fun things and understand what you are saying. Please know that I’m very humbly asking these things. And really please be honest with me. If I’m asking too much please let me know and I’ll stay here and Black River Falls and try to maybe enjoy a few minutes of seeing you guys on a webcam Maybe… Instead of making things too difficult for you all by needing too much to see you all in person … I really mean it if I’m asking too much I understand and I’ll stay home. But I do hope that we can all make it work and be together in a way that works for all of us at Christmas up there when I say lower your volume I also mean with your voices