The Stranger in Our Marriage, a Partners Guide to Navigating Traumatic Brain Injury

Each year, more than 1 ½ million people in the U.S. alone are treated for traumatic brain injury, or TBI, in emergency rooms. Over 5 million TBI survivors living in the U.S. are so affected by their injury that they require assistance with daily activities. In addition, TBI is considered the signature injury of the wars in Irag and Afghanistan, resulting in almost one-third of the medical evacuations to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. TBI disrupts lives and impacts our society in innumerable ways, but the partners of survivors are the most affected. They are often unprepared for the aftermath of TBI, including personality, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes in their loved one. They are the hidden casualty of brain injury, as their plight has long gone unrecognized. The Stranger in Our Marriage seeks to remedy the situation, offering information, insight, and hope to the survivor’s partner. The experiences of a TBI survivor’s wife are woven throughout this informative book, giving life to the facts and details of brain injury and its consequences. Written by a psychologist, it includes specific suggestions for the partner on how to navigate the aftermath of brain injury and how to come to terms with their altered relationships and lives.