Posted on Monday, September 5th, 2016 at 7:11 am
Car accidents often cause head, neck, and back injuries. In some cases, these injuries can result in permanent disabilities. However, another issue is often unnoticed at the time — emotional stress caused by the collision. In fact, some people may experience emotional problems even if no physical injuries are apparent. A study showed that traffic accidents were the most frequent traumatic event for males and the second most frequent traumatic event for females.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been discovered to be associated with the emotional stress suffered from a traffic accident. Research found certain factors increase the risk for developing PTSD after a traffic crash. These factors include:
- Low coping ability in other situations
- Pre-existing mental or emotional disorders
- Lack of social support
- Severity of injury in the accident
- Loss of others in the accident
- Slow recovery
- Change in activity level
Adding to the initial emotional stress and mental anguish is the fact that many victims don’t receive treatment for the emotional impact until much later when the symptoms are interfering with their daily lives. They either fail to notice the signs of depression and PTSD due to the severity of their physical injuries or they believe they will feel better in a few weeks. Unfortunately, the weeks turn into months and the person continues to suffer from emotional stress.
Treating PTSD and Other Emotional Problems
Car accidents are responsible for more than three million injuries each year, which makes it more understandable why people experience emotional trauma due to traffic accidents. According to statistics, about one percent of the population in the United States will be injured in a car accident.
Accident victims may experience depression and other emotional problems after being in a vehicle accident. The risk of depression increases with a serious injury or an injury that requires a lengthy recovery period. If the person is no longer able to perform certain tasks or participate in specific activities, he or she may suffer from depression and other emotional problems.
A person who is in a traffic accident may experience anxiety and fear, even experiencing panic attacks, when he or she needs to travel in a vehicle. The person may suffer flashback memories of the accident, which creates a sensation of fear. These symptoms can last for a few months or even years after the original traffic accident occurred. The longer the time between the accident and the time of treatment, the longer it may take for the person to recover.
Multiple treatments are used at the same time to deal with the symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, stress, fear, and other emotional problems caused by a traffic accident. Medication and therapy are often prescribed for the treatment of PTSD caused by a vehicle-related injury. One-on-one counseling and group therapy may be used to help individuals overcome the fear and anxiety.
Getting Help After A Traffic Accident
While emotional stress often results from a physical injury, you can suffer emotional problems from a motor vehicle accident. This can be the case even when you are not injured or you only suffer minor injuries. Some accident victims may suffer in silence because they don’t understand what is happening to them. Others believe no one will understand them. While they may seek care and even compensation for a physical injury, they don’t recognize the impact of emotional trauma from the traffic accident.
If you or someone you love has been involved in a car accident and you are suffering from emotional issues, you need to seek medical treatment. Then, discuss your injuries and trauma with a Sacramento personal injury attorney to determine if compensation is warranted. You can reach the Tiemann Law Firm by calling (916) 999-9000 or by chatting with a representative on our website.
