Understanding the Link Between Concussion and Depression
Concussion and depression symptoms are often correlated, especially after suffering from a traumatic experience like a mild brain injury. Feeling persistently down, foggy, or disconnected after a concussion is more common than you might think—and it’s not “in your head.”
Studies show that people experiencing persistent post‑concussion symptoms (PPCS) are significantly more likely to develop depression. In fact, a meta‑analysis found that individuals with PPCS had over four times higher odds of depressive symptoms compared to those without these ongoing symptoms.
The connection between concussion and depression is rooted in fundamental neurologic changes, not just stress or anxiety. When your brain is healing, emotional vulnerability can be a natural part of the process. An injury to the brain can cause emotional symptoms that inherently affect your quality of life.
Acknowledging this link is the first step toward compassionate, effective recovery.
How Concussion Can Trigger Depression
Concussions commonly disrupt brain regions that regulate your mood, motivation, and sleep. Interestingly, studies involving people with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) found that poor sleep mediates the relationship between symptoms of concussion and depression. This trend holds true especially in those with lower resilience and patients who had mental health challenges before their injury.
And since sleep has significant impacts on global brain, body, and metabolic health, it makes sense why altered sleep after a concussion would have such global impacts.
This neurological relationship helps explain why so many people feel stuck in an emotional rut after a “mild” head injury. When your nervous system hasn’t fully healed, depressive symptoms can linger long past the expected healing window, not because you’re weak, but because your brain still needs targeted support.
The Prevalence of Depression After A Concussion
For children and young kids recovering from a concussion, rates of depression can be surprisingly high. One study found that 22% of young patients showed clinically significant depressive symptoms, particularly in those with prolonged post‑concussion symptoms or who had been hospitalized.
Among adults, too, the prevalence persists. A long‑term study published in 2021 noted that over a third (35.2%) of people with chronic post‑concussion symptoms experienced depression or anxiety even 4–7 years later.
This information can help underscore the seriousness of concussion and depression symptoms. As you can see, it’s a real, measurable condition that deserves understanding and proactive care.
It’s also one of the reasons why our work at The Neural Connection has helped change so many patients’ lives who were dealing with lingering chronic post-concussion symptoms.
Why Concussion and Depression Symptoms Often Get Missed
All too often, patients with emotional symptoms after concussion are told to “wait it out” or are sent to mental health counseling without addressing the underlying neurological changes that might be driving their mood shifts. And yet, depression following concussion isn’t just a secondary reaction.
From what we’ve seen clinically, it is often a core symptom of brain injury and its ongoing effects on the rest of the nervous system. Therefore, it must be treated and approached with clinical expertise.
When clinicians focus only on talk therapy or diagnostic scans that show “nothing structurally wrong,” patients can feel dismissed and left alone to cope with a brain still recovering. Statistically speaking, a concussion will rarely show abnormal structural findings on an MRI or CT, and yet, patients often get left with no answers at this point in time.
It’s at this junction where specialized neurologic rehab can make a real difference.
How Our Integrative Neurologic Rehabilitation Program Treats Concussion and Depression
At The Neural Connection, we don’t treat your emotions separately from brain function; We treat you like the whole person you are. We’ve discovered that treating patients structurally, neurologically, nutritionally, and emotionally has unlocked opportunities for people whom traditional medical systems have written off. This approach to treating the root causes of symptoms has enabled us to help many individuals who have suffered for far too long.
Our integrated neurologic rehabilitation approach supports healing through the following clinical areas of focus:
Functional Neurologic Examinations and Assessments
During our in-depth functional bedside examination, we examine eye movements, balance, memory, and autonomic function to identify underlying neurologic disruptions. Injury to these systems often occurs during a concussion, but very few providers (and even fewer patients) know that. We also conduct objective testing, such as videonystagmography (VNG) assessments, to establish objective metrics for function and set baselines for future progress.
Personalized Vestibular and Visual Therapies
The eyes are a window into the brain, and yet, so many patients don’t get the care they need because they’re misinformed or don’t know where to turn. The inner ear (balance) and visual systems work in tandem to help us perform basic functions we take for granted during the day. After a concussion occurs, these systems often cause symptoms like dizziness, visual strain, headaches, and even anxiety.
Functional Medicine and Nutritional Treatments
Nutrition is the keystone for health, but after a concussion, both gut and brain function can be altered. Furthermore, when symptoms of concussion and depression are present, we’ve found that there’s often a disconnect between the gut-brain and brain-gut connection.
By addressing underlying nutritional and gut-based issues, we’ve helped many patients find relief from their concussion and depression symptoms, while also improving their digestive function. Inherently, these go hand in hand, as a lot of patients who struggle with these symptoms after an injury usually had symptoms before it.
Sleep and Mental Health Support for Concussion and Depression
Saying “you should sleep better” is rarely the solution, but in many situations, we’ve found that helping people understand how to sleep better can be. The evidence is quite clear that there’s a strong link between poor rest and depressive symptoms following a concussion.
Furthermore, we know that sleep impacts nearly every cellular function in our brain and body. By helping people improve their sleep habits and referring them to sleep specialists when necessary, we can provide much-needed symptomatic relief in a direct manner. And when patients need a proper sleep study or assessment performed, we’re quick to send them off to do it.
Individualized Structural and Spinal Care
The body always follows the mind, and because of that, the body will always need appropriate treatment following a concussion. Structural injuries to the neck and head can be just as crucial as the neurological symptoms after a head injury, and both can be linked to concussion and depression.
Pain can change your worldview and wreak havoc on your quality of life.
By integrating the structural, neurological, and nutritional treatment requirements for your brain and body, we’re able to build a personalized treatment plan focused on getting you back on your feet as quickly as possible.
You shouldn’t have to settle for surface-level fixes focused on treating your symptoms. By targeting the true root cause of post-concussion symptoms, our rehabilitation model empowers your brain and mood to heal together.
Why Movement is Therapeutic for Concussion and Depression Symptoms
Did you know that gentle, structured exercise in the immediate weeks after a concussion can also support your mental health and mood?
A study tracking post‑concussion patients found that those who maintained at least 150 minutes per week of aerobic activity had significantly lower rates of depression and anxiety at follow-up compared to those who stayed inactive. Furthermore, they also observed improved overall function, balance, and reduced symptoms of dizziness, providing evidence of global healing and improvement.
At The Neural Connection, we prefer not to make assumptions, so we always run our patients through the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test (BCTT) to determine their target heart rate for exercise after a concussion.
Incorporating physical movement is another powerful tool offered alongside our neurologic rehab, helping you rebuild both brain and body resilience to overcome your symptoms.
Your Brain Can Heal—Even If It’s Been Months or Years
If you still feel “stuck”, yet you continue to feel off, you’re not alone, and it doesn’t mean you’re broken. Research shows that even long after a concussion, individuals can continue to struggle with symptoms of concussion and depression, especially when symptoms have persisted for a period of time.
Recovery isn’t linear, and it rarely ends with just rest, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get better. With the right neurologic rehabilitation program, even those who feel stuck after months or years can reclaim clarity, emotion, and vitality.
Healing isn’t just possible—it’s often within reach. And we get to witness it on a daily basis at The Neural Connection.
Ready to Heal from Your Concussion and Depression Symptoms?
You deserve personalized support that acknowledges the full impact of your injury and helps you feel like yourself again.
Book a free consultation today to explore how our neurologic rehab services can help you heal, emotionally and neurologically, from concussion and depression.
