Can Car Accidents Cause PTSD?

Car accidents can impact your mental health, even causing PTSD in some people. The more severe the accident was, the higher the chance of developing PTSD or exacerbating any existing mental health issues.

In this blog post, our friends at Herschensohn Law Firm, PLLC seek to raise awareness about PTSD resulting from car accidents. In this blog post, you’ll learn:

• What PTSD is
• Symptoms of PTSD
• How PTSD may be treated
• Tips to help support your mental health after the accident.

What Is PTSD?

PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s commonly seen in military members and veterans. However, living through any traumatic event, including a vehicle accident, can cause the condition.

A person with PTSD may have daily symptoms or symptoms when exposed to a similar stressor. According to psychiatry.org, people are generally diagnosed with PTSD around three months after the traumatic event.

Let’s move into the symptoms of PTSD that you should know.

Symptoms Of PTSD You Should Know

Some of the symptoms of PTSD that you may notice in your life include and may not be limited to:

• Intrusive thoughts. This includes flashbacks of the traumatic event and nightmares.
• Avoidance of things that remind you of the triggering event. This may include people, places, and even avoiding certain activities.
• Emotional or even physical reactions. This may include sweating, rapid heartbeat or palpitations, anxiety, or panic.
• Arousal and reactivity. This makes it hard to perform daily tasks, including eating and sleeping. Other reactions may include irritability, hypervigilance, startle response, and having a hard time expressing positive moods or feelings.
• Depression.
• Anxiety.
• Suicidal thoughts or actions.

By better understanding some of the symptoms of PTSD, it may make it easier for you to know what’s going on so that you can get treatment for it. Let’s talk about some of the treatment options of PTSD.

Treatment For PTSD

Getting the proper treatment for PTSD can result in a better life. Some treatments for PTSD include and may not be limited to:

• Therapy to learn better coping mechanisms
• Therapy to help learn to think of yourself in a positive light
• Medications
• Meditation
• Exposure therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Developing a stress management plan
• Animal therapy
• Community and family support

What To Do After A Car Accident To Support Your Mental Health

If you were involved in a car accident, you can support your mental health by:

• Not bottling up your feelings. Talking about the accident with loved ones can help treat stress, anxiety, and depression.
• Self-care. Put aside time each day to participate in self-care.
• Support from a professional therapist. By attending therapy, you can get diagnosed and come up with a treatment plan for yourself.
• Attend support group meetings. PTSD and even vehicle accident support groups may help you process what happened. It’s also beneficial to know you’re not alone in the world.

What To Do If You Think You Have PTSD

If you think you have PTSD, make an appointment with a mental health professional to determine if you have it and begin your individualized treatment plan. If you believe you PTSD is the result of a motor vehicle accident caused by another party, reach out to an experienced car accident lawyer to discuss your legal options.