Here’s How We Treat PTSD After Being Involved in an Auto Accident

Suffering from emotional and psychological distress after a car accident? Collisions are scary, upsetting, and can leave a lasting mark on your mental health. Nearly one-third of car accident victims experience emotional trauma from the event, and one-fourth of that number will develop post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Luckily, there is hope. Here’s how to recover from anxiety, emotional trauma, and PTSD after a car accident.

What Is PTSD?

PTSD is a debilitating mental health condition that can significantly impact a person’s quality of life. The condition is often triggered by a traumatic event, especially one that involves life-threatening situations. From acts of violence to natural disasters, witnessing a death to experiencing a car accident, there are many potential events that can trigger PTSD. For some, the lingering mental trauma after the event can become even more harmful and long-lasting than physical injuries.

Symptoms of Car Accident-Related PTSD

While PTSD manifests itself differently from person to person, some common threads exist. Many people experience the traumatic event over again in nightmares or flashbacks, and it can lead to avoidant symptoms that include people, places, or experiences that could be reminders of the event.

Car accident victims often experience some specific PTSD symptoms that may not appear immediately. It often takes weeks or months to develop symptoms, which may include:

Extreme mood swings
Feeling withdrawn from loved ones and friends
Flashbacks of the accident
Intrusive thoughts about self-harm
Refusing to drive or ride in a vehicle
Suicidal thoughts

How to Treat Car Accident-Related PTSD

Even minor car accidents can do more damage than physical trauma. These life-changing events can leave a lasting impact on your brain. As your fight-or-flight mechanism kicks into gear during a traumatic situation like a car accident, it leaves a permanent mark. As the brain relives the experience, it can lead to panic attacks; depression or anxiety; mood swings; and more.

PTSD after a car accident is serious—luckily, help is readily available. At Impact Medical Group of Sarasota, we provide Injury Trauma Counseling to address PTSD and other car accident-related mental health concerns. Our team of seasoned Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners, Licensed Mental Health Counselors, and Social Workers work together to provide a customized treatment plan that allows you to take back control of your life. Treatments can include:

Evidence-based treatment methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing; Supportive Talk Therapy; and more.

Professional counseling through feelings of apprehension or anxiety surrounding surgery.

Prescribing medications like antidepressants to ease anxiety.

Seek Injury Trauma Counseling After an Accident

For many car accident victims, recovering from an accident involves much more than simply healing physical symptoms. If you’re suffering from PTSD or any other emotional car accident trauma, the caring team at Impact Medical Group of Sarasota are standing by to help. We’re ready to offer the support you need to get through this and get back to living a fulfilling life. Call us today at (941) 222-1157 to schedule your free consultation.