MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING MENTAL TRAUMA AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT
Trauma from a car accident is hard to get over. For this reason, people need to take actionable steps to cope with it in a healthy way, especially at the rate these accidents are happening. In 2016, over 7 million traffic accidents were reported to the police nationwide according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It’s only taken a turn for the worse since then. As seen in the rising traffic fatalities in recent years, it seems as though the unexpected psychological effects of the COVID-19 lockdown have taken a toll for a lot of people on the road. The near-empty freeways of that time seemed to have encouraged people to drive more recklessly, and that tendency has followed them even when public spaces began opening up, eventually leading to the alarming rates of accidents that we now see today. In addition, the prolonged social isolation of that time could have also negatively affected how drivers currently act on the road. All of this together has led to heightened traffic deaths, causing a lot of car accident trauma. It’s gotten so bad that psychologists are being asked to weigh in on solving this crisis.
WHAT HAPPENS EMOTIONALLY AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT?
Car accident trauma symptoms may show up in various ways. Some people have reported that being involved in a car collision has led them to lose bouts of sleep, further elaborating that they couldn’t help but recount the trauma of having almost died. Some have even said that they relive that very moment in their dreams. This causes them to feel stressed and anxious which then affects how they go about their day-to-day lives. For example, it’s common for collision victims to refuse to go behind the wheel due to the mental trauma they got from the car accident they just experienced. The stress and anxiety they feel could also prevent victims from doing their daily routines as they normally would. Easy and mundane tasks become difficult to manage. Without proper help, these trauma symptoms may worsen and affect the relationship they have with the people around them including their loved ones.
(310) 526-8383HOW TO COPE WITH EMOTIONAL TRAUMA
CAR ACCIDENT TRAUMA COUNSELING
Therapy is a great way to cope with mental trauma after a car accident. By working with a licensed professional, you will be able to learn how to healthily cope with your trauma in ways that are effective and unique to you. In your therapy sessions, your therapist will help you untangle your complex emotions and fears. They will work with you in creating actionable steps to managing your triggers. It is going to be a lot of work on your part; and it may be even difficult to get through at times. But know that the discomfort you will initially feel is only going to help you in the long-run.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LOVED ONES WHO CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALING JOURNEY
Emotional trauma after a car accident could lead you to spiral towards a dark place. Being around the people who love you and care about your mental wellbeing will do wonders for your healing. Being around your support system —be it your blood family or your chosen family — could help you on how to recover from car accident trauma. Trauma victims have said that surrounding themselves with the people they love have provided them with the perspective necessary to get through their healing journey. Their loved ones have helped them work through their triggers, and have helped prevent them from spiraling.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO EMOTIONALLY RECOVER FROM A CAR ACCIDENT?
It depends. A lot of factors contribute to the timeline of one’s recovery. Unlike physical recovery, the time for emotional recovery is not as predictable due to the fact that it really varies from person-to-person. Some people could walk away from an accident experiencing little to no trauma whereas others experience the opposite. It also depends on the severity of the accident. People involved in a major accident will likely leave the scene more traumatized compared to those involved in minor ones. It may also depend on the victim’s personality and background.
CALL OMEGA LAW GROUP
The legal team at Omega Law Group can help you collect compensation for the psychological trauma a car accident may have caused you. With decades of combined legal experience, our attorneys have dealt with personal injury cases of all kinds, including those involving Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, etc. Call us at 866-942-3881 for a free personal injury consultation!
