Kanika Gupta: 10 books

You got a bump on the head... WHAT HAPPENED?! Upon learning about my concussion, the single greatest question I am asked is “What happened?” or “How did you hit your head?” It is a question I dread answering. Whether this question is asked from a place of curiosity or genuine...

Doing Nothing is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. During the acute recovery from an illness or injury is typical to take rest and let the affected part of your body heal. Virtually everything you do requires your brain however, hence letting your brain rest is not so straightforward. BRAVE...

Gradually bringing activity back into your life following a concussion is necessary to encourage neural activity and growth in your brain, however too much activity can set back recovery and cause more harm. Pain and energy levels vary day-to-day, making it difficult to know how much activity to do...

“But you look just fine?!” is a response I often get when people cannot see why I do things a little differently following my concussion. With no visible markers or obvious cues, misconceptions and assumptions get made by others of my abilities and tolerance levels. Concussions are referred to...

All forms of visual stimulations place extra strain on my already overworked brain, which constantly ties to process and cope with sensory overload. The greatest forms of visual stimulation come from lights: natural sunshine, artificial indoor lights and screens on electronic devices. Even the smallest...

Sounds are almost always imposed on us from external sources, with very little control over what we choose to hear and at what volume. My hypersensitivity to sound means I hear everyday and mundane noises much louder inside my head. That combined with challenges filtering auditory inputs results in...

My concussed brain has fewer energy reserves, which leaves me feeling tired a lot more than most who do not live with the effects of a brain injury. Chronic fatigue can be overwhelming and feel as though every single limb in your body is being weighed down. Even if there is a desire to do something,...

Since every part of the human body uses the brain it is normal for a concussion to impact virtually every aspect of how you carry about your life. It can be extremely frustrating to lose the abilities in doing the things you once did with ease. Every moment is a continuous process of learning how...

Recovery from brain injuries are not straightforward, which makes it difficult to know how you will be feeling at any given moment. Some days can be fine until unexpected symptoms weigh you down. Bad days can leave you feeling like you’ve set yourself back many steps, even though you did nothing...

Change is an inevitability of life and part of the human condition. Letting go of past hopes and dreams and accepting a new reality takes time. Everyone comes to grips with change in their own ways at their own pace. Focusing on all the amazing changes that came into my life helped me see the bump...