Everyone knows car accidents can result in serious physical injuries. Broken bones, head/brain injuries, spinal cord fractures – these are injuries that many people discuss after a bad collision. What many people don’t talk about are the emotional, mental, and psychological harms that can result from a car crash. Car accidents are highly traumatic events, especially if they caused severe injury or the death of a friend or family member. Luckily, there are ways to effectively deal with crash-related anxiety.
3 Ways to Beat Car Accident Anxiety
If you’re suffering from post-car-accident anxiety, you’re not alone. Many individuals experience acute anxiety after a traumatic crash. Every day, about 90 people pass away in car accidents in the U.S. Hundreds more sustain life-changing injuries. There are thousands like you living with memories of that dreadful day. There are also proven ways to cope with and even beat accident-related anxiety. Try these tips:
1. Attend psychotherapy
There are several types of psychotherapies that can help car accident survivors. Improve your mental health by seeing a qualified cognitive behavioral therapist. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy that stimulates the hemispheres of the brain through eye movement. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy can fight phobias. Hypnotherapy has also helped people resolve traumatic emotions.
2. Take care of yourself
Self-love and self-care can go long ways toward easing anxiety after a car accident. You’ve been through an extremely difficult situation, emotionally and perhaps physically. Treat yourself to good self-care. Be gentle with yourself during recovery, and focus on your wellbeing. Spend time with beloved family and friends, and do things that make you feel comfortable and happy.
3. Educate yourself
Knowledge is power. Learning defensive driving skills can help you feel empowered and confident in your driving abilities again. Taking a driving course can be an excellent way to beat anxiety and feel calm in the car. Discovering ways to predict and prevent car accidents can put you back in the power seat. Listen to soothing music and practice deep-breathing techniques if getting behind the wheel triggers your anxiety.
There are qualified professionals who want to help you get past your car-accident related anxiety. Seeking help through the proper outlets can help you regain control of your life and take the first steps toward emotional healing.
Speak to an Attorney About Your Car Accident Anxiety
Sometimes, severe anxiety after a car accident can become crippling. What starts as a fear or dread of getting into a car can turn into serious anxiety or panic disorders. Car accident victims can suffer panic attacks, depression, acute stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and phobias that trace back to their experiences during a terrifying crash. If you experience shortness of breath, dizziness, trembling, nausea, hot flashes, or phobias (e.g. exaggerated fear of dying or losing control), you may have an anxiety disorder.
In the case of extreme anxiety, an attorney may be able to help by adding this form of emotional damage to your list of losses in a car accident claim or lawsuit. The right firm can also steer you in the direction of notable psychiatrists and other healthcare professionals that specialize in car accident victims in the San Diego area. Most attorneys have represented clients with similar experiences to yours. A conversation with an attorney can help you get your life back on track in more ways than one.