Car accidents could traumatize you because they may cause you to fear for your life. You might also develop a strong fear of another car accident occurring that interferes with your ability to stay relaxed while driving. These are all serious issues that Oklahoma residents may want to receive counseling for.
Feeling scared to drive
Some people have a fear of driving after a car accident or losing a loved one to a car accident. Hypervigilance, an elevated state of evaluating dangers around you, is a common trauma symptom. You may feel so aware of the risks of driving that it causes you to feel severe anxiety and stress behind the wheel. This interferes with your ability to drive well, which is why it’s important to receive counseling. A therapist could help you heal from the traumatic incident to restore your driving skills and peace of mind.
Other symptoms of trauma
Car accidents could cause trauma-related disorders, such as PTSD. Some people who seek counseling early on after an accident prevent the development of PTSD. This is a disorder that doesn’t occur instantaneously. You must have certain symptoms for at least one month for a psychologist to diagnose you. Seeking treatment for your traumatic experience could prevent it from turning into a more difficult mental health issue to recover from. Symptoms of trauma to be aware of include:
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Intrusive thoughts
- Depression, anxiety, unease, anger and other changes in mood
- Inability to focus
- Physiological reactions to reminders of the traumatic event
- Avoidance of things, conversations, places and people that remind you of the experience
These are all signs that an event overwhelmed your brain. With the proper time dedicated toward healing, you may not develop a mental health disorder.
If you experience any symptoms of trauma after a car accident, you may want to see a counselor. This could decrease the risk of your symptoms worsening and mental health disorders like PTSD.