These Steps Are Useful for Dealing With Post Concussion Syndrome:

Things that might provoke symptoms

  • Using the computer screen or your phone!
  • Alcohol!
  • Exercise in general (Talk to a doctor about how much you can do, and at what rate!)
  • Loud noises!
  • Studying or reading for long periods of time!
Obviously it is hard to give these up completely. Don't get mad at yourself if you do some of these things and then get symptoms. You're not going to get it right every time. But learning how to manage your symptoms will be essential to your recovery. You have to know yourself. If events with loud noises make you really happy, they might be worth the symptoms you get. Pacing yourself means that you won't have to give everything up. If you love reading, consider taking a break every few minutes. 

Things that might help with symptoms

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  • Meditation and Yoga: Deep breathing.
  • Monitor stimulation with things like ear plugs and sunglasses.
  • Establish regular sleep habits.
  • Remove stress- if school is stressing you out, remind yourself that you have a serious medical condition! If you need a break, take it! 
  • Figure out your support system.
  • Pace yourself!
  • Enjoy yourself, paint, listen to music or an audiobook, go for walks.

Academic Support

McGill has many good resources and accommodations for people dealing with a concussion or post concussion syndrome. The trick is to know what they are, and to take the first step to get help. Here is a list of some very important steps to take at McGill in order to take care of your health and to make sure your academics don't fall behind. 

These steps are critical:
 Make sure you see someone who specializes in head injuries!!
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Your academic advisor can help you figure out how to manage your course load and will let you know what options you have in regards to taking less courses or dropping/deferring exams.
If your processing speed has slowed down, you can get extra time to write exams, and you can get a stopwatch to take breaks during exams when your head hurts.
In addition to official accommodations that the school can offer, your professors can help you if they know what you are going through!! 
If your concussion occurs a month before finals and does not resolve within a week, it is not possible to both study and recover! 
To teach positive mental hygiene, we have to emphasize the principles of healthy living, with a foundation of rules of health to have a sound physical health, and then all the psychological ones for developing an outgoing personality to get along in society. --Mary H. Brown
Our events are made possible by the generous Mary H. Brown funding ​