Grayken Lessons: a patient who developed opioid use disorder after traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common in people with substance use disorders (SUDs). TBI often results in cognitive deficits which can affect the clinical course of SUD.

Here we present the case of a 34-year-old Spanish-speaking man with severe opioid use disorder and two prior TBIs affecting his cognitive abilities. He was linked to outpatient addiction specialty care at a community health center. After identification of his TBI history, his care team, which included a language-concordant physician and peer recovery coach, worked to develop a treatment plan that accounted for his unique cognitive deficits and behavioral challenges. He was also connected with community resources including a rehabilitation program designed for people with TBI. These individualized aspects of treatment helped to better engage and retain the patient in quality care for his SUD.

By identifying TBI history in people with SUDs, the treatment plan can be tailored to accommodate TBI-related deficits. An effective care plan should incorporate not only medical providers, but also resources such as peer recovery supports and TBI-focused rehabilitation programs when and where they are available, with an emphasis on improving functional capacity.