If you are overcome by feelings of anger, worry, disbelief, sadness, and anxiety after you have been in a car accident, you must know you are not alone. You should also know that it's very common for accidents to have an effect not only on your physical self but also on your emotions and your mental health.
And it happens that people tend to focus on fixing the physical aspects of their injuries, believing that those are the most pressing ones, and they may be right. But ignoring the mental and emotional impact on your health is not something you should do.
How Are You Feeling?
It's perfectly ok to ask yourself this question. And it's also perfectly understandable if you continue to experience conflicting and tiring emotions after the car accident. What you should keep an eye out for is whether this rollercoaster of feelings is normalizing as days go by and whether the anger you felt at the beginning has become easier to manage.
If the answer to these questions is a resounding no, you might be experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. And these symptoms may be present from the beginning or they may become apparent after a trigger that takes place a while after the accident.
Is It Important For You To Take Care Of Your Mental And Emotional Stress?
Of course, it is! Besides being a problem on their own, psychological issues can have an important impact on your physical recovery. They can slow down the healing process, and if you were to need surgery, they can lead to worse outcomes.
What If These Feelings Won't Go Away?
If months have gone by and you still don't feel like yourself and are overwhelmed by mental and emotional distress, you should seek the help of a professional counselor. If you are having problems at school or work, if you can't perform the duties you used to do without thinking twice about them before the accident, get the help you need. And if your children were present during the accident, get help for them too.
Get Back On The Horse
That's what people often say after they've been thrown by a horse, isn't it? Well, you should definitely adopt this same policy and get back in the car. You may experience anxiety about returning to driving, you may be worried about driving too fast and decide to start driving much more cautiously. Whatever you decide to do, you should know that by getting in the car again, you might be helping to conquer your anxiety.
That same feeling of not wanting to start driving again may translate into your social relationships. You may feel the need to isolate yourself because you cannot answer any more questions about the accident. You may also feel anger towards your friends and loved ones if you are convinced that they do not understand what happened.
Seek professional help. It may take a while for these mental and emotional issues to start lifting, and a professional can help you get there faster.
Get Legal Help
If you have been plagued with emotional and mental stress after the car accident, you definitely do not need any additional stress dealing with the legal implications of the accident on your own. You should seek the proper lawyer advice and have a knowledgeable, experienced and seasoned professional by your side.
