There are many different types of disabilities, and they all have a significant impact on the lives of people who suffer from them. Disability can result from a wide range of conditions, including injuries, and the disability this essay will focus on is traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI is defined as an injury to the brain caused by trauma to the head, typically resulting from an accident such as a traffic collision or fall. TBIs are classified as severe when a period of unconsciousness following an injury exceeding 6 hours, along with a period of post-traumatic amnesia lasting for a minimum of 24 hours (Headway, 2017). Head trauma has a wide range of consequences and symptoms in each case, which can vary widely depending on the location and severity of the injury. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay However, there are some effects commonly reported by TBI patients, one of them is fatigue. Mental fatigue, defined as feeling tired and unable to think clearly or concentrate (Brainline, 2017), has been described as one of the most common problematic symptoms of TBI, and although fatigue may improve as the patient recovers from head trauma, often persists. Fatigue may be due to the brain requiring more energy to function and heal after an injury (Brainline, 2017). Research has found that patients with TBI experience significantly higher levels of fatigue than those without TBI, and this finding consistently uses both subjective and objective measures of fatigue (LaChapelle & Finlayson, 1998). This essay will discuss the impact that fatigue associated with TBI can have on an individual's health and wellbeing, as well as exploring attempts to define the concepts of disability, health and wellbeing. In the UK, disability was defined by the Equality Act 2010 as a “physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal daily activities” (Gov.uk, 2010). This definition is practical when trying to classify someone as disabled and fits a medical model of disability. The medical model explains that individuals are disabled due to impairments or difficulties they experience and, in order for these to be overcome, any impairments must be treated (Scope, 2017). The medical model has been criticized for focusing on treating an individual even if the impairment does not cause any distress and does not consider their real needs. This can lead to a lack of independence and a loss of control over one's life (Scope, 2017). The second definition of disability that offers a different perspective comes from the World Health Organization (WHO) and defines disability more generally, stating that it is “a generic term, covering impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions” (WHO , 2017). This explanation removes attention from whether disability is simply a health problem and fits more into a social model of disability, which states that individuals are disabled because the society they live in creates barriers to their needs. From the perspective of the social model, these social barriers must be removed or modified in order for the limitations to be overcome, and these barriers can include physical, such as access to a building, as well as societal attitudes towards disabled people ( Scope, 2017 ). The social model has advantages overto the medical model as it considers individual needs and requires society to be accessible to all. However, one criticism of the social model is that it may overlook an impairment that causes pain or difficulty and may, therefore, benefit from treatment (Shakespeare, 2016). Each definition and model of disability has its own advantages and criticisms, and problems with defining disability can arise from trying to define many unique experiences and difficulties wrapped up in a single term, when the concept of disability can be inherently subjective (Gronvik, 2009 ). Since its establishment in 1948, the WHO has defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not simply the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO, 2006). This definition of health has been praised for not having a negative focus and for encompassing many aspects of health. However, criticism focuses on the word “complete,” which is difficult to measure and causes individuals living with chronic conditions or disabilities to be labeled as always in poor health (Huber, 2011). The WHO definition was questioned by Huber (2011), who introduced the idea of ​​health as an individual's ability to cope with challenges in different areas of life, such as physical, social and emotional (Huber, 2011). Huber's definition focuses more on how unique circumstances can affect an individual's life rather than simply the absence of disease or impairment. This essay will discuss health using Huber's definition as a reference and will discuss the social, physical, and emotional aspects of health. Over the years, many attempts have been made to define well-being and these have often included a feeling of contentment, the achievement of goals and feelings of satisfaction in life (Dodge, et al., 2012). An example of one of these definitions comes from Shah & Marks (2004), who discussed well-being as feelings of happiness, satisfaction, and fulfillment, as well as contribution to society (Marks & Shah, 2004). This definition of well-being, along with many similar ones, has been criticized as describing more than definitions and focusing on many subjective dimensions that may underlie the concept of well-being (Dodge, et al., 2012). A definition by Dodge et al. (2012) explains the concept of well-being as an equilibrium, as a homeostatic mechanism, with a fixed point for well-being, which can be disrupted by life challenges or lack of resources, and equilibrium is a balance between the two ( Dodge, et al., 2012). This definition is simple and does not require compliance with the different size criterion. Furthermore, it links to Huber's (2011) definition of health with its focus on overcoming and managing challenges, and well-being in this essay will be discussed in line with this definition. The first aspect of health that can be affected by post-TBI fatigue is physical health. Factors important for maintaining physical health include physical activity, nutrition, and management of any physical symptoms of disease (Koshuta, 2003). Fatigue causes feelings of tiredness and this may influence your motivation to take part in factors important for maintaining physical health, such as exercise. In fact, research has found that fatigue in TBI patients is associated with a lower level of physical activity (Stulemeijer, et al., 2006). Given that lack of physical activity is linked to obesity, cardiovascular and respiratory problems, the importance of being able to be physically active is clear (Gov.uk, 2016). Reduction in exercise associated with post-TBI fatigue impacts healthand an individual's well-being, as it affects their ability to face physical challenges and maintain a state of physical well-being. It can also impact an individual's ability to recover, as physiotherapy and exercise are often part of the rehabilitation process after a head injury, especially as these injuries tend to result from accidents or falls (Borgaro, et al. , 2005). A second way that post-TBI fatigue can impact the physical aspect of health and well-being involves nutrition. Individuals who feel tired and unable to concentrate are less likely to feel motivated to cook food or purchase nutritious food. Fatigue can cause activities such as cooking to take much longer, difficulty maintaining concentration on the task or finding food, and motivation to prepare food. Individuals who previously enjoyed cooking before TBI reported taking less pleasure in it after TBI due to problems introduced by fatigue (Cantor, et al., 2008). These difficulties may cause an individual to seek out food, such as takeout, which may be unhealthy, or to eat less frequently. Lack of adequate nutrition can lead to a predisposition to illness, weight problems and further feelings of fatigue in the TBI patient (NHS Choices, 2017). The above challenges faced by patients with post-TBI fatigue may result in experiencing reduced enjoyment from activities that may previously have been enjoyed, such as exercise or cooking. Reduced enjoyment of activities has been found among TBI patients, as fatigue impacts motivation, with patients reporting being unable to initiate or maintain activities and not being able to concentrate on esse (Yudofsky, et al., 2005). In addition to affecting physical health, this can impact other areas, such as returning to work or participating in hobbies and social activities. This impacts health as individuals may feel unable to cope with challenges, both physical and emotional, and upset the balance of well-being by not having adequate resources to manage life challenges. In a study of employment rates and return to work after head injury, it was found that patients who reported suffering from fatigue were less likely to return to work. Furthermore, feelings of fatigue have been reported as a particular difficulty by TBI patients who have returned to work (McCrimmon & Oddy, 2006). This could be explained by the effects of fatigue leaving people tired and unable to concentrate or feel motivated for work. This impacts an individual's health as it affects their ability to cope with the demands of work or education and may therefore limit their satisfaction and progress. To overcome these difficulties encountered when returning to work, in line with the social model of disability, adjustments could be made. Patients who have returned to work following a head injury and who suffer from fatigue said that helpful adjustments in managing fatigue and encouraging motivation included having only one task to focus on at a time, having supportive and understanding employers and flexibility in working hours, such as shorter days or part-time hours (Materne, et al., 2017). If changes could be made in line with these, barriers that limit TBI patient participation in the workplace could be removed and.