Every death and serious injury on the road is a preventable tragedy that should never be accepted as inevitable. 29,795 people were fatally or seriously injured in 2022, a decline of 3% compared to 2019, but that doesn’t mean Great Britain is a safe place to drive. Most road traffic accidents are caused by drivers not looking properly and speeding. Do your best to protect yourself and your passengers; even if you’re an experienced driver, brush up your knowledge. You must do more than wear a seatbelt and keep your hands on the steering wheel.
Your chances of getting into a car accident are high. It’s natural for a person involved in a collision to feel overwhelmed with emotions. Common reactions include but aren’t limited to guilt, fear, anger, sadness, and anxiety. A serious motor vehicle accident can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, otherwise referred to as PTSD. You may have PTSD if you notice signs of increased stress for over a month and can’t function in social and work settings. As mentioned earlier, it’s normal to feel a flood of emotions, but with PTSD, these feelings don’t go away with time.
Photo by Taras Makarenko: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cars-ahead-on-road-593172/
PTSD Is Caused by Experiencing (or witnessing) a Traumatic Event
If you experience (or witness) a road traffic accident, you’re at an increased risk for psychological problems, including PTSD. Once called shell shock, PTSD is a mental health condition caused by stressful, frightening, or distressing events. Many people in a car accident struggle with temporary challenges but get better with self-care. The recovery journey involves rest, pain management, a healthy diet, and exercise. Symptoms of PTSD don’t go away on their own; as a matter of fact, they linger for years and can interfere with routine activities. You feel hurt or haunted by the accident.
Trauma is anything that is deeply disturbing. Of course, you don’t have to be the driver in the accident for it to be upsetting. You can develop PTSD if you’re a passenger or a bystander. PTSD can disrupt your entire life, namely your job, relationships, health, and enjoyment of everyday activities. The symptoms may affect your family and friends, causing trust, closeness, and communication issues. If you find yourself behaving recklessly, this can be because of PTSD. Recovery can be challenging and includes a new way of reacting to the reminders of the traumatic event.
What Would PTSD Look Like in A Person?
According to the experts, it’s prevalent for PTSD to go undetected due to its complex cluster of symptoms. Early intervention is of the essence for managing PTSD, but unfortunately, it can take years to manifest symptoms to get a diagnosis. The symptoms of PTSD can vary extensively between individuals, but they generally occupy one of the following subsets:
- Intrusive memories – Distressing mental imagery-based emotions intrude into your mind involuntarily. More precisely, you have constant negative thoughts about the car accident. You question why it happened to you and wonder if you could’ve done anything to stop it.
- Avoidance – You avoid places, people, or sounds that remind you of the collision. You may refuse to drive a car or ride in a vehicle as a passenger. Persistent avoidance behaviour warrants professional evaluation.
- Mood/thought changes – Abrupt changes in mood or thought are a cause for concern. Your inner voice becomes more harmful than helpful, especially regarding excessive negativity.
- Changes to physical/emotional reactions – You may experience physical reactions, like increased blood pressure, fatigue, headaches, etc. Some people attempt suicide or overuse alcohol and drugs.
Working with a therapist can help you recognize and respond to your symptoms. Regrettably, therapy is very expensive, and the cost depends on the provider’s educational level, licence status, specialised certifications, and experience level. PTSD is increasingly cited in personal injury cases. Suppose you’ve developed trauma as a result of a life-threatening event caused by the negligent actions of someone else. In that case, you may be able to recover compensation for your mental injury. You can find more information on Personal Injury Claims UK’s dedicated webpage.
How To Make a Positive Mental Recovery After a Car Accident
If you’ve been involved in a motor vehicle accident and are struggling to cope with the aftermath, here are a few suggestions on how to survive this challenging time:
Seek Professional Help
Only a therapist can offer guidance and support as you cope with what happened. Traditional therapy isn’t the only option, just so you know. Emerging experimental treatments, such as MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, have shown positive results. A combination of talking therapy and medication may be necessary if you have severe PTSD. Online therapy platforms are excellent places to look for a doctor, especially if you lack access to traditional, in-person therapy.
Limit Your Exposure to Media Coverage
Exposure to news coverage can lead to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. Media exposure during the news cycles can increase your perception of threat and activate the “fight or flight” response, therefore leading to subsequent problems. Difficult as it may be to avoid stories and images related to your road traffic accident, do your best to limit your exposure. Obsessive and constant checking for new articles on your smartphone or computer is a harmful habit, to say the least.
Take Care of Yourself
Finally, yet importantly, it’s important to take good care of yourself by staying active and positive. Besides staying hydrated throughout the day, pay close attention to your nutrition. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies, not to mention foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as mackerel, salmon, and sardines. Sleep is just as good for the health as diet and exercise, so make sure to get enough rest. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time in the morning.
Wrapping It Up
A car accident is the most likely catalyst for developing symptoms of PTSD, which can pop up months and even years afterwards. PTSD can be hard to identify, even by the person who’s experiencing it. If you want to live a more full, functional life, therapy can be an incredibly useful tool.
