• Difficulty tolerating wait times
• Agitation/verbal aggression if not attended to quickly
• Calling out and asking for help repeatedly
• Difficulty with managing disappointment
• A sense of urgency for immediate need to be met
• Difficulty waiting for their turn to speak, often interrupting conversations or talking over others
• Individual’s body becomes tense and may begin to sweat
• Denial, anger and sadness at the losses which have occurred
• Anxiety, nervousness
• Rushing and impulsive decision making
• Sudden outbursts of anger (i.e. yelling)
• Lack of awareness of other’s needs (i.e. tasks, commitments, emotions, priorities)
• When situation is unexpected or plans change it can trigger irritation, frustration and anger

Possible causes:

• Injury to the frontal lobes
• Cognitive and executive function changes
• Inhibition of behaviour
• Lack of understanding of social skills and communication skills
• Poor reasoning and problem-solving
• Changes in emotional awareness and empathy (focused on their own needs)
• Lack of awareness/insight of the impact of injury

Possible complications:

• Changes to relationships, friendships
• Rise in stress level, increase in blood pressure