Personal injury accidents are becoming an increasingly common occurrence in the United States. Even though physical injury is a typical consequence of car, motorcycle, and bike accident, it is usually not the only form of damage sustained by the victims. If you have experienced mental and emotional trauma from an incident, then it is important to seek proper counseling and medical attention. Proper therapy and medicine can help you cope and regain your life. Many times, accident victims contract a mental disorder, like anxiety or depression, following their traumatic experience. There are many reasons that individuals can incur a mental disorder after being involved in an accident. These include extensive recovery of injuries and damages and/or lack or proper support following the accident, the inability to properly cope with trauma, witnessing and experiencing severe trauma in the accident, including injuries to yourself or others and the perception that one’s life was in danger in the accident accompanied by the suppression or rumination of these thoughts. Below are some common mental and emotional disorders that are experienced by car accident victims:
- Anxiety. One of the more common psychological impacts it has on its victims is severe anxiety. After being a part of a serious accident, it is normal to feel a little anxious. If the anxiety persists and is affecting your daily life, then you should speak with a doctor or therapist.
- Depression. Experiencing a traumatic event can prompt sadness in victims as they attempt to cope in the aftermath. Whether or not you have experienced depression before, you should be aware of symptoms pointing to depression that may require medical attention. Some symptoms may include:
- Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
- Thoughts of suicide
- Feelings of guilt and helplessness
- Loss of interest
- Change in eating habits and/or sleep
- Feelings of sadness and hopelessness
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (or PTSD). Although not commonly known, PTSD is a common lasting consequence of a major life incident. Traumatizing life events go hand in hand with PTSD. The experience of a major incident can cause shock, fear and anxiety to all victims, however, in PTSD victims, these symptoms don’t reside after, but instead get worse. If you are experiencing the the following symptoms, you should contact a medical professional:
- Trouble sleeping and/or nightmares
- Other constant feelings of stress and anxiety that affect daily life
- General uneasiness
- Persistent and unwanted memories of the accident
- Ongoing anxiety about riding in vehicles
Contacting an Attorney
If you have been involved in an accident and believe another party was at fault, then you may be entitled to compensation for the damages. These damages include mental and emotional distress that may have occurred as a result of the accident. Because the counseling, prescriptions and other treatment for such psychological trauma can be expensive, pursuing a personal injury claim can be beneficial in handling these expenses. An experienced personal injury lawyer Lakeland, FL trusts can help you file a claim, as well as protect your interests and rights during a case.
Thank you to the Dave & Philpot P.L Personal Injury at Law for providing insight on the impact after a traumatic experience.