CONCUSSION impacts everyone differently, and for Carlton star Darcy Vescio, it meant impeded concentration and their ability to react as their normal self in social situations.

Vescio hasn't played since the club's week seven win over Walyalup due to delayed concussion symptoms, and the dangerous small forward has been careful in the recovery process in an effort to avoid long-term effects of the injury.

"In the Freo game I had a couple of strange knocks, they were teammate knocks," Vescio said on the Credit to the Girls podcast.

"I felt fine on the day, everything like that, (the) doctors came out to check on me, but yeah, later as the week progressed things didn't feel right. And once Thursday hit, yeah, I was like 'There's too many things happening right now' and I just thought, if I play and got another hit that could be really terrible.

"But I definitely wasn't right to play, so (I) have been really fortunate to have some time off, and it's just on my own timeline as well, so there's not that pressure to rush back or anything because I really like my brain, so I'd rather look after it."

For Vescio, it was a scattered feeling, rather than any specific physical symptoms like many others experience.

And just as symptoms can vary from person to person, the journey back through the AFL's mandated concussion protocols also vary.

"My brain just felt very, very scattered, and I felt like my social cues and filter was quite different. I wasn't experiencing too many physical symptoms, like, there was a little bit of headaches and that sort of thing, but some people are really balance impaired and have blurred vision and stuff like that, which can be quite obvious. But for me, it was more me noticing that I didn't feel quite right," Vescio said.

"So, I went into the protocols on Thursday, and that just meant I needed to rest my brain, and that's actually really, really hard to do. Like, you think physical rest, we sort of understand, but mental rest is really difficult.

"A good way to think of it is like living in the 1910s or something. So, you try to not have phone use, definitely don't go on your laptop, no TV, things like that. And just try to limit anything your brain has to process… Just sort of headphones on, I was lucky to have a bit of painting to do, so just things that don't feel really strenuous, but it takes a bit of trial and error."

Steps forward in the process include symptom-limited physical and mental activity such as a light walk, or time in sunlight. While mild and brief worsening of symptoms during the stage is acceptable, players can only move onto the next stage of their recovery - a gradual return to team training - once all symptoms have recovered both at rest and during mental and physical activity. If symptoms worsen more than mildly, the player must stop their activities and attempt the same activities the next day.

AFLW players have access to the League's elite concussion policy, while community programs are also available for local and junior footy players. This policy includes the care of doctors, physiotherapists and psychologists to ensure all aspects of brain health are recovering after a concussion.

All players in the elite competition receive education each pre-season to ensure they have a good understanding of concussion symptoms and the importance of speaking up when they experience them, even something like 'not feeling quite right', which is a common symptom.

Positively for Vescio, they are tracking well for a potential return in the final round of the home and away season – which will ultimately be their Blues' last match of the year.

"I've done a little bit of contact and responded pretty well, so hopefully this week I'll be able to get back into full contact and hopefully play on the weekend," Vescio said.

Prior to this fortnight on the sidelines, Vescio had missed just one match since debuting in the AFLW's inaugural game back in 2017, so this has allowed them to gain a slightly different perspective on footy, particularly when watching Carlton defeat Collingwood at Victoria Park on Sunday.

"When I arrived, the team were doing their warmup and I was like 'Ah, it's so cool what we get to do'," Vescio said.

"When you get removed from it and you're physically not allowed out there, I was just watching them … I was like 'Well, I'd love to be doing that'."