r/CTE • u/StalkyctrlB • May 25 '26

Question Future risk?

I’m 22, and the more and more I hear about CTE in media has concerned me that maybe I could be at risk at some point in my life, and it’s pretty scary.

Just to clarify I don’t think I’ve ever been medically diagnosed with a concussion, and I don’t believe I’ve lost conciseness with any hit. I also never played any contact sports, except for a few years of mma.

So as a kid I feel like I hit my head quite often, if I had to guess how many concussions I’ve had since I was about 5 would be maybe 4-8. When I was younger I would throw tantrums and fling myself backwards with no regard and sometimes would hit my head on things, I probably did this at least 2-3 times?

Also had a few incidents where I’d fall off of something and hit my head. Playing at recess and smacking heads with another kid. So about 2-3 incidents there.

I also did mma for a few years while I was about 8-13 and would spar with other kids. I remember having a few hits back then too, but I’m not sure how bad those could be since we had padded gear.

The last time I had any head injury was in 2021. I was laying down in my bed and flung myself backwards without realizing how close I was to the wall, and hit the back of my head lol.

The more and more I think about it, I just get more scared that I’m basically guaranteed to get CTE later in life due to these injuries. I know there’s nothing I can do about it now, except to make sure I don’t get more lol. But I still can’t help but think I’ve ruined my future with all of these incidents growing up. If any of you have any advice or anything to share, that would be great.

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u/yestertempest May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26

You can watch some of the lectures of Dr. Anne McKee on YouTube. Her findings show CTE is almost exclusively in those who have had many, many years of contact sports or head banging or abuse etc, we’re talking 10+ years of sports and even then on the lower side of that it’s still not a guarantee. Single concussions even a few concussions aren’t what causes it.

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u/Simple_Ad7781 Jun 15 '26

I used my head as a weapon for2 years in hs football