Personality change does not always look the same One of the most unsettling things a family member can say after a concussion or traumatic brain injury is, “He just isn’t the same person anymore.” And sometimes, he isn’t—not in the ways his family has always known him. A patient who was once patient and easygoing may become irritable, argumentative, or quick to anger. Someone who was energetic and outgoing may become quiet, passive, or withdrawn. These changes can be startling, and families often attribute them to stress, depression, pain, or simply a bad attitude. But changes in personality and behavior