6 Signs You Are Suffering from PTSD After a Car Accident
When people file a personal injury claim, most of them think of their physical injuries – broken bones, brain injuries, and so on. Obviously, this is not everything that a car accident could come with.
People often overlook the emotional trauma that a victim can have as a result of a serious car accident. For example, car accidents are the leading cause of PTSD in the USA – and not active military service, surprisingly. This trauma wont be healed very soon, but there is another part that can be solved legally, for this you can ask for assistance from injury attorneys in Mobile, AL.
Given that your health is the most important thing after a car accident, you should know how to identify PTSD so that you know when to get help. Therefore, in today’s article, we’ll talk about six signs related to PTSD that should make you visit the medic/doctor.
Prerequisites of PTSD
As you may know, PTSD can affect your career, relationships, and overall enjoyment in life. Moreover, there are certain things that can make you more likely to suffer from PTSD after a car accident or certain events.
For example, you are likely to suffer from PTSD if:
- You have mental issues such as depression or anxiety.
- You don’t have a support system of family or friends.
- You have a family history of mental health issues.
- You work a job that exposes you to traumatic events.
If none of the above applies to you, keep in mind that you may still develop PTSD after a trauma, such as a car accident. You should seek immediate treatment if you think you have been affected by PTSD. To determine this, look at the following symptoms that may appear after a car accident.
The 6 Signs of PTSD After a Car Accident
- Fear of Driving or Riding in a Vehicle
- Reliving/Remembering the Accident Through Flashbacks and Nightmares
- Blaming Yourself Irrationally and/or Feeling Guilty about the Accident
- Inability to Concentrate and Sleep Issues
- A Persistent Feeling of Hopelessness and Depression
- The Inability to Remember Certain Details about the Car Accident
If you’ve experienced any of the above, it is strongly recommended that you seek medical advice and treatment as soon as possible so that your life is not affected in the long term.
Less Obvious Symptoms
You should also pay attention to your overall behavior after a car accident, or have someone monitor you. For example, PTSD may also come with less obvious symptoms, such as mood swings or outbursts of anger.
Moreover, some people tend to become withdrawn and have a difficult time interacting with people after their accident. Basically, depending on how severe the accident was, people involved in it should be kept under surveillance.
The Bottom Line
As you know, PTSD is no joke. Many people have had their lives ruined because of PTSD – contrary to popular belief, most of them were not former soldiers. PTSD can be caused by any traumatic event that you experience in your life.
This is why we should pay attention to ourselves and to our loved ones after such events and make sure that they are being taken care of and treated properly.