When accidents happen, you notice physical injuries such as cuts, bruises, and broken bones. But another kind of pain can hide in the background, and that is emotional trauma.
This hidden injury can hit you hard. And it can shake your family too.
A broken leg may take months to heal. But fear, worry, and sadness can stick around for a long time.
What “emotional trauma” can look like after an accident
Emotional trauma can show up after a scary event. It can be a car crash, a bad fall, or any other accident. In these situations, your mind tries to make sense of it, and sometimes it gets stuck.
Some people can feel the change right away. While others feel fine at first, symptoms slowly appear weeks later.
You might experience:
- Constant worry and fear about safety
- Feeling sad or empty most days
- Getting angry or irritated easily
- Trouble sleeping or bad dreams
- Flashbacks that make you relive the accident
- Feeling jumpy or on edge all the time
- Avoiding places, activities, and things that remind you of what happened
They are not signs of weakness, but are average responses to a scary event. But when it starts disrupting your daily activities, you need outside assistance.
Trauma and anxiety disorders
When your body perceives danger after an accident, your alarm system will continue beeping. This can cause issues such as anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and PTSD.
When you attempt to drive again, your heart races, and loud noises hit you like an unexpected jump scare. You may also stay on high alert, check doors, monitor people, and scan your surroundings as if you are filming a big scene.
Your brain is attempting to protect you from potential harm, but it is doing so in an overreactive manner. This happens a lot after experiencing trauma. But the good news is that it can be treated. You are not broken. You need assistance in dialing the alarm down.
The ripple effects
Every single thing in your life can be affected by past trauma. You might struggle to keep your job because concentrating can get so difficult. Stress can also lead to poor bonding with family. You might even become silent and withdraw from others, even when they want to support you.
Worry and stress can also impede recovery when your body is healing from an injury. Your body can get even less recovery done when the stress hormones become overly elevated, and this can get even worse.
Getting your life back on track
Talk to a professional early
Talking to a therapist can help you sort out trauma. You learn tools for anxiety and fear. And if your symptoms feel too loud, a doctor may offer medication to take the edge off. That can make it easier to stick with therapy. Support groups can help too. You sit with people who understand the feeling, even when you can’t find the right words.
Build a simple daily routine.
You can also add light exercise if your doctor approves. You can take a short walk or do some stretching. Keep your sleep times steady, too. Your body likes a steady plan. You need to set small goals you can finish.
Why legal support matters for healing
Legal help does more than chase money. It also removes a huge stress burden when you’re already struggling. A good lawyer can handle the paperwork and phone calls so you can focus on getting better.
Compensation can also cover more than just hospital bills. Depending on your case, it might include:
- Therapy and mental health treatment
- Money lost from missed work
- Payment for emotional suffering
But be careful, though, because insurance companies often try to downplay emotional trauma. And so good record-keeping helps protect your rights.