PTSD is a response by normal people to an abnormal situation:
The traumatic events that lead to post-traumatic stress disorder are usually so overwhelming and frightening that they would upset anyone. When your sense of safety and trust are shattered, it’s normal to feel crazy, disconnected, or numb – and most people do. The only difference between people who go on to develop PTSD and those who don’t is how they cope with the trauma.
After a traumatic experience, the mind and the body are in shock. But as you make sense of what happened and process your emotions, you come out of it. With post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), however, you remain in psychological shock. Your memory of what happened and your feelings about it are disconnected. In order to move on, it’s important to face and feel your memories and emotions.Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder stemming from a traumatic incident, such as a car accident, which causes symptoms that impact daily life.
Physical injuries are often the focus of recovery efforts in the aftermath of car accidents, while the mental impact is largely ignored. PTSD is commonly associated with military combat veterans. Most people aren’t aware that the emotional trauma from car accidents can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. In fact, car accidents are the leading cause of PTSD in the general population.
This debilitating mental injury often goes untreated because many car accident victims are unaware that they have post-traumatic stress disorder.
SYMPTOMS OF PTSD AFTER A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT
PTSD is indicated when symptoms that fit into the four categories listed below last longer than a month and interfere with daily functioning.
Intrusive thoughts include involuntary memories and reliving of the accident. This can occur in one or more forms:
- Flashbacks, often so vivid it may feel as though victims are re-experiencing the accident
- Nightmares about the accident
- Involuntary thoughts and memories of the accident
PTSD can cause personality changes, changes in thought patterns, and changes in cognitive abilities. Several examples are listed below, but this is not an exhaustive list:
- Inability to remember the accident
- Self-loathing
- Paranoia
- Negative views of the world
- Inability to trust others
- Misplaced guilt about the accident
- Loss of interest in work, school, or other activities
- Loss of ability to experience happy emotions
- Strong feelings of guilt, shame, and ongoing fear
AVOIDANCE OF REMINDERS
Anxiety and horror surrounding the accident often leads to a compulsion to avoid the people, places, and situations associated with it. Common examples include:
- Unwillingness to drive or ride in vehicles
- Avoidance of the location of the accident or photos taken at or near the location
- Withdrawal from people who trigger memories of the accident, including first responders and others who were present
- Refusal to talk or think about the accident
PTSD and psychosomatic changes:
PTSD sufferers often experience changes in energy levels, waking and sleeping patterns, and in how they react to situations that did not affect them before. Examples of these changes include:
- Tendency to startle easily, jumpiness
- Panic attacks
- Angry outbursts
- Paranoia
- Recklessness
- Self-destructive behavior
- Difficulty concentrating
- Insomnia or other sleep disorders
