Car Accidents are one of the most prevalent causes of PTSD in civilians—but there are methods to overcome it
I was hit by a car while walking to school in my mid-twenties. The old motorist mistook the median for an extra turn lane and struck three people, including me. I was a stressed-out graduate student worried about finishing her experiments when I turned over to saw the light brown hood of a car speeding right for me, followed by oblivion. When I awoke, I was drenched in blood and in greater pain than I'd ever been in, including delivery.
In the weeks and months following the accident, I began having recurrent dreams in which I was hit by a car over and over again. I also began suffering panic attacks whenever I saw a car approaching me, whether I was seated in a car or standing on the sidewalk. It became difficult to drive.
I had developed post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, in the aftermath of the accident, which is characterized by nightmares or flashbacks of the traumatic event, avoidance of situations that evoke memories of the traumatic event, and hyper-vigilance, which can include panic attacks or a constant feeling of being on edge.
Although PTSD is commonly associated with military veterans, it may also affect civilians, with vehicle accidents being one of the most prominent causes. Because vehicle accidents can be so painful, horrifying, and unpredictable, developing PTSD is all too prevalent. However, according to Jessica Rohr, a psychologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, "it is extremely curable."
Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
If you've been in a vehicle accident, you should expect to be scared in the days and weeks after the event. "This is very natural," Rohr said. When this dread persists for an extended period of time and begins to have a long-term detrimental impact, it is diagnosed as PTSD.
Being hyper-vigilant all the time, having intrusive thoughts about the event (in the form of unwelcome flashbacks or dreams), and avoiding circumstances that remind you of the trauma, such as driving or getting into a car, are all symptoms of PTSD.
If you were recently involved in an automobile accident, one of the most essential things you can do in the days and weeks that follow is to prioritize your rehabilitation, even if you were not harmed in the accident. This may include temporarily reducing some of your typical commitments for a few weeks in order to prioritize relaxation. "Pretend you're in recovery, because you are," Rohr said.
It's also a good idea to reach out to your support network, whether it's friends or family. "The number one component for trauma resiliency is social support," Rohr added. Friends and family members may assist you in a variety of ways, such as bringing you food, driving you to doctor's appointments, or simply spending time together. "You don't necessarily have to talk about what happened to be beneficial," Rohr explained.
Avoidance just makes matters worse
After a tragic accident, it is tempting to cope with the worries by simply avoiding the unpleasant triggers. However, as Ron Acierno, a UTHealth Houston psychologist who specializes in treating PTSD, warns, avoiding is the worst thing you can do after a vehicle accident. "That's how individuals wind up without driving for ten years," explained Acierno. Because, as Rohr put it, "fear thrives on avoidance."
Instead, the best treatment for PTSD caused by a vehicle accident is graded exposure therapy, which involves exposing a person to their triggers in a safe, controlled, and methodical manner in order to diminish their fear reaction. "No amount of counseling can benefit you if you don't have that exposure," Acierno added.
For a vehicle accident sufferer, this may begin with spending 15 minutes sitting in a parked automobile until their panic reaction is controllable, following which they may switch on the car and drive carefully around the block. The goal is not to avoid fear entirely, but rather to approach it in a controlled manner. "Place yourself in a scenario where you are concerned but not overwhelmed," Acierno said.
How to Deal with Children's Fears
Parents of children who have been in an accident and are dealing with the aftereffects should keep in mind that "one of the signs of PTSD is the felt loss of control," according to Acierno. If a youngster is suffering from PTSD as a result of a vehicle accident, "you have to be particularly sensitive of the fact that the kid is not able to turn the wheel or hit the brakes," according to Acierno. "You must keep the situation as quiet and secure as feasible."
It can be beneficial for children if this exposure to automobiles is linked to something they love, such as going for ice cream together. (This is also an approach that may be used with adults.)
How Therapy Can Assist
If you have just been in a vehicle accident and find that your anxieties are interfering with your ability to live a full life, it is critical that you get treatment as soon as possible. In general, PTSD therapy may be completed in four to five months by attending weekly sessions. Therapy may take longer if there are aggravating variables, such as prior traumas or a lack of support at home, but it will not persist forever.
In my case, recovery from PTSD took years because I lacked the necessary help and resources. Recovery became a continual pendulum swing for me, as I went back and forth between my great dread of vehicles and my tremendous desire to live a regular life again. Riding in the car as a passenger was all I could take at first, and my trips around the neighborhood required a lot of additional time and care while crossing the street or an intersection.
However, as I continued to put myself out there, trying to find a way to accomplish what I wanted to do without being paralyzed by fear, things began to improve. The panic subsided, and I gradually found myself able to accomplish more and more, until driving became the routine, everyday annoyance it had always been.
#PTSD #Therapy #CarAccident
SOURCE: lifehacker
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