Andrew L. Shapiro | October 11, 2024 | Car Accidents
A car accident can shake you to the core. While your body may heal, the mental impact can linger long after the crash. If you’re still feeling anxious or can’t get rid of those flashbacks, you might be dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And you’re not alone. Many people suffer from PTSD after an accident. Recognizing the signs is the first step toward healing.
What Exactly Is PTSD?
PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by a traumatic event. It’s not just experienced by combat veterans or victims of violence. Car accidents can leave emotional scars, too. The trauma can disrupt your life in ways you may not expect, even if the accident wasn’t severe.
Spotting PTSD Symptoms After a Crash
After an accident, it’s easy to focus on the visible—cuts, bruises, and broken bones. Mental health often takes a backseat.
Consider the following:
- Do memories of the crash pop up out of nowhere? Do you have vivid dreams or flashbacks?
- If you’re avoiding driving or even getting into a car, that’s your mind trying to dodge the trauma.
- Feeling jumpy or overly cautious? If every sound or sudden movement makes you tense, that’s a PTSD red flag.
If you’re feeling constant fear or unease in the days and weeks after the accident, PTSD might be creeping in.
How PTSD Can Disrupt Your Life
PTSD isn’t just an emotional burden—it can flip your entire life upside down. Relationships may suffer as you become irritable or withdrawn. Work might become a struggle. Without treatment, PTSD can spiral into more severe mental health issues like depression or turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as substance abuse.
The mental impact of PTSD can make it feel like you’re constantly reliving the worst moment of your life, trapping you in a loop that’s hard to escape.
What To Do If You Think You Have PTSD
If you’re showing signs of PTSD, don’t just hope it’ll fade away or that you can tough it out.
Taking action early can help you get back to feeling like yourself.
The following may be helpful:
- Professional help: A therapist experienced in trauma recovery can guide you through processing the accident.
- Talking about it: Bottling up your feelings only makes things worse. Find a trusted person to open up to.
- Trauma-focused therapies: Treatments like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) can help your brain reprocess the trauma and get you on the road to recovery.
- Medications. Prescribed medication can help alleviate the symptoms of PTSD.
In addition, a steady, predictable routine can be a lifeline for those dealing with PTSD, offering stability when everything else feels chaotic. Your routine doesn’t have to be elaborate—it could be as simple as following the same route to work or sitting in your favorite spot for breakfast.
Can You Get Compensation for PTSD?
PTSD is not just an invisible wound—it’s a real and debilitating injury. If someone else caused the accident, you might be able to seek compensation for your mental and emotional trauma, just as you would for physical injuries. Compensation helps cover therapy costs, lost wages due to time off work, and any other expenses related to your condition.
Don’t let anyone tell you that PTSD doesn’t “count” just because you can’t see it. Your mental health is just as important, and you deserve support if someone else’s negligence caused you harm.
Suffering from PTSD? Get the Help You Need
If you’re struggling with PTSD after a car accident in California, don’t face it alone. There are qualified professionals who will understand the emotional toll trauma can take and are here to help. Reach out to an experienced legal team for a free consultation, and begin the process of securing the support and justice you need to move forward.
Contact the Encino Car Accident Lawyers of JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
Please contact an experienced car accident lawyer at JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers for a free initial consultation today at (833) 852-3600.
Our main office is in Encino, CA, but we serve all through Los Angeles County.
JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers
16633 Ventura Blvd suite 1011,
Encino, CA 91436