Blog

We mostly rely on our intuition and instinct telling us we are doing (or about to do) something unethical. Ethical dilemma and brain injury is not always so clear. What makes this so? Last week as an introduction to ethical dilemma and brain injury, the focus was on ethics and ethical dilemma. In that article I shared a powerful quote, from Rabbi Dr Milton Pine, that has started my thinking about about ethical dilemma and brain injury. This coincided with finding an article by Dr Geoffrey Scott entitled “Ethical Dilemmas” (Think, 1991). It was in deeply buried in my archives, and found during a clean out. (As an aside, that clean out showed me there is much to be learned from the old, and what is new, is not always that new!) Back to the article; Dr Scott was both a teacher of ethics, and the father of a son with brain injury. Like Dr Pine, he also eloquently described an ethical…

When trying to understand disinhibition after brain injury, think about times you might have acted without thinking. Experiences you might have had  when you have said, or done something suddenly, without thinking. Then immediately wished you could take it back. People who know me well, would say I do it all the time! This is a simple demonstration of what “disinhibition” after brain injury is like. Usually we have a grown up voice in our head that tells us when not to do, or say something. When a person is disinhibited this voice is missing, or much quieter. There is no filter. Everyday words people might use to describe what they see might include:  tactless, exhibitionist,  show no shame, blunt,  rude and impolite, too honest, short fused. But it is part of the damage to the brain. On the other side: It can be quite refreshing to meet someone who says, and does things as they feel, someone who calls it as…