Table of Contents
Introduction
Feeling down or anxious after a car wreck is common as safety is greatly affected, resulting in an inability to return to your regular functions. Thoughts of sadness because of such an event are usual; however, if the events of the last days seriously disrupt your daily life, you need treatment. With appropriate support, it is feasible to recover from the emotional trauma following a car accident.
Effects After a Car Accident
A car accident can trigger a series of events leading to enduring emotional trauma, including life-altering injuries, the fear of mortality, and the loss of life. It’s natural to experience emotional trauma in response to such significant events, as it is a result of the brain’s intricate survival mechanisms. Emotional trauma resulting from a car accident should not be viewed as a sign of weakness, but rather as an injury that may require treatment for the best possible outcome, similar to any physical injury.
It’s been found that about one in six individuals involved in traffic accidents experiences moderate mental health symptoms, irrespective of the severity of their physical injuries. For those who have sustained severe injuries, the emotional distress can be even more challenging as they grapple with pain or adjust to a potentially long-term or permanent disability.
The psychological distress resulting from the accident can impede the healing of physical wounds and have a detrimental impact on the immune system. Additionally, sleep disturbances may occur due to feelings of depression, anxiety, or nightmares. An individual might also find themselves repeatedly reliving the traumatic event. Some people may resort to substance abuse as a coping mechanism, but this approach can exacerbate feelings of anxiety and depression.
The emotional distress that follows an accident can significantly disrupt daily life and hinder physical recovery. Suddenly, one might develop a fear of driving or being in a car, making it challenging to leave the house for work, medical appointments, or other essential activities.
Even if the individual manages to overcome their fear of traveling to receive treatment, the demands of physical therapy and rehabilitation can be overwhelming when they are dealing with depression or physical exhaustion. If the treatment is not completed, the prognosis worsens, leading to increased anxiety and depression and perpetuating a cycle of hardship.
Grief
We all know about bereavement as the loss of a loved one, but grief is also the loss of many other things as well. Grief (without bereavement) can be caused by dozens of other losses and the physical injuries, and they go along with is the loss of health, independence, opportunities, and financial security. In addition, it is a feeling that represents a wish to return to life the way it was before the accident and about learning to accept permanent changes.
If sorrow is the result of the beatings or the loss of a loved person, it is a high probability that it will be connected with the emergence of other psychological diseases e.g. PTSD and depression.
Acute Stress Reaction
Acute stress reaction is a stress response that leads to increased anxiety, mood changes, and even dissociative symptoms in response to a car accident. You may experience insomnia, nightmares, or flashbacks. You may experience extreme anxiety about riding in a car or driving. In some cases, even being near a car can be a trigger.
These are normal responses to a car accident that can happen to anyone. It may occur two days to a month after the accident. It is common to experience an acute stress reaction, even if your injuries aren’t severe. If your acute stress reaction lasts longer than a month, it may be diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is an anxiety disorder caused by extremely stressful events. People with PTSD experience similar symptoms as people with acute stress reactions, but the symptoms fail to improve and may even worsen with time. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of PTSD in the general population. Data from a study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine indicates that approximately 32.3 percent of car accident survivors develop PTSD. Previous research suggests that the figure could be as high as 45 percent.
The study proven that some groups are at greater risk of PTSD after the car accident. This is the group that feels low economic status, those with prior psychiatric conditions, innocent accident survivors, those who felt their lives were in danger during the incident, and female survivors. People who have a specific type of brain injury in the accident have a higher chance of getting PTSD.
This risk escalates with the severity of the brain injury, as even mild traumatic brain injuries can disrupt brain function, affecting emotional regulation and the ability to process trauma. In addition, the symptoms of traumatic brain injury and PTSD overlap, making it challenging for doctors to determine whether your symptoms stem from PTSD or a traumatic brain injury.
Depression
Depression impacts approximately 17.4 percent of car accident survivors, it can occur alongside PTSD or by itself. It may be normal for someone who has just experienced something traumatic such as a car crash to feel depression symptoms. If the feeling continues for a prolonged time, causes disturbance to your daily life, or even suicidal thoughts, you might want to see a doctor for help.
Chronic pain or a new disability after an accident, such as complete or partial paralysis, amputations, burns, and brain injuries, could also lead to depression. Managing stress and coping with abrupt modifications in life can leave you feeling lonely, helpless, and discouraged. You could even reach a point where you feel like you are a liability to the people who take care of you, and you may believe that the only solution is to commit suicide. In this case, it is necessary to find help as soon as possible.
In case you find yourself with suicidal thoughts, you are requested to reach out to 988 Lifeline, which offers free and confidential emotional support.
Survivor’s Guilt
If you survived a car accident in which someone else died, it is common to feel guilty for having survived. This is known as survivor’s guilt. It was considered a symptom of PTSD at one time, but it can occur without PTSD. Human beings are born with a certain sense of equity and fairness.
If you survived and your friend or family member did not, you may feel you are not entitled to be alive or that it is unfair that you were allowed to live when the other person died. You may even feel as though you did something wrong by surviving.
There are no moral underpinnings behind why one person survives a car crash and another doesn’t.
While grieving the loss of another, it is not uncommon to wish it had been you instead of them, but if this is anything more than a fleeting thought, it can increase depression and suicidal thoughts.
It is important to talk to your doctor about these feelings. Your doctor should be able to refer you to a qualified therapist who can offer cognitive behavioral therapy, which involves retraining the mind to interpret the car accident and your loved one’s death differently.
Anxiety
After being involved in a car accident, it is typical for individuals to experience feelings of anxiety. It is not uncommon to feel apprehensive about driving or being a passenger in a car for a period following the accident. If you sustained serious injuries, feeling anxious about your physical well-being, financial situation, and what lies ahead is a natural response.
Nevertheless, if the anxiety persists and does not diminish over time, it can have a debilitating impact. Research suggests that approximately 5.8 percent of individuals who have been in a car accident develop ongoing, persistent anxiety that significantly affects their daily lives. Untreated anxiety can cause excessive worry, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, stomach problems, and a poor quality of life.
You don’t have to live with anxiety after a car accident. Cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, or a combination approach can help you overcome anxiety and restore peace of mind.
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