Car accidents can be traumatic events, and the physical and mental injuries they cause can be long-lasting. It's important to take steps to ensure that you adequately heal any psychological trauma after a car accident. Self-care is essential, and if that's not enough, it's important to seek professional help. A mental health provider can help you process the accident, reduce anxiety and stress, and get back to your routine.
With the help of friends, family, a mental health professional, and a little exposure, it's possible to start driving again. Shock may go away over time for many people who have a traffic accident, but sometimes those feelings persist and grow stronger. Any recurring anxiety, thinking, or dreaming about the accident are signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While PTSD is most often associated with soldiers returning from combat, the condition can develop after any traumatic event. Car accidents, especially extremely violent ones, can certainly be traumatic for victims and can trigger PTSD.
In fact, research has shown that approximately nine percent of car accident survivors later develop PTSD as a result. In addition, many people with PTSD simultaneously have an intense fear of driving or a related anxiety disorder. It's clear that people involved in non-fatal accidents can experience serious mental stress, such as PTSD, anxiety, depression and phobias. But what are the long-term concerns? A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that “a third of the subjects reported different frequencies and cycles of PTSD, phobic travel anxiety, general anxiety and depression, both during 3-month and 1-year follow-up.” While some victims reported that they had improved over time, others described that psychiatric symptoms had developed long after the accident. A significant portion of the people who complained of persistent symptoms were passengers in the vehicle, not drivers. We have mentioned that these long-term ramifications can induce phobias, but the practical application of that fear is overwhelming.
People with driving phobias have trouble getting to work, transporting their children, or completing everyday tasks that most people take for granted. Some people may experience anxiety symptoms when passing by the scene of the accident, experiencing similar conditions while in a car (such as adverse weather conditions), or when triggered by any number of other things that remind them of the accident. Chiropractic care and massage therapy can work hand in hand to treat a patient's physical injuries and chronic pain. It's easy to seclude yourself and avoid driving, especially after a traumatic event such as a car accident. If you or a loved one is living with mental trauma after a car accident, a compassionate Honolulu attorney from Recovery Law Center can help.
Of course, you should be careful if your routine includes a lot of movement as you don't want to aggravate your physical injuries. To file a successful claim for emotional distress, you must be able to demonstrate that the mental effects of the accident impact your daily life. The car accident lawyers at Dolman Law Group will offer you personalized attention to ensure that your ideas and concerns are addressed in negotiations to reach an agreement. Driving defensively helps you avoid certain events on the road and at the same time allows you to think about the future and navigate specific scenarios as carefully as possible. Ed LCPC NCC is a clinical mental health therapist working at nVision You a Chicago-based private practice in The Loop. It's also critical that you take appropriate action after an accident not only legally but also from a health standpoint.
