Altered Mental Outlook After a Car Accident
While an auto accident is not always fatal, the treatment, rehabilitation and psychological trauma may be life-altering. Other aspects of the accident, including financial uncertainty, can take their toll. For instance, being out of work and trying to pay household expenses can be a daunting problem. All of this can combine to have a substantial effect on the injured party’s emotional outlook. Let’s examine the psychological trauma of a car accident, its treatment and how an attorney can help.
Jeff Morris - Auto Accident Attorney
If you are in an auto accident in South Carolina, you may need the insight only an experienced attorney can provide. Reach out to Jeff Morris at (843) 232-0944 or (803) 470-4444 for help. He will be at your side throughout the aftermath of the accident and work to ensure that you will receive the compensation you deserve. You will be able to schedule a free, no-obligation case review, where Jeff will examine your claim, answer your questions and give you your options going forward.
Psychological Issues After an Auto Accident
About 33 percent of all accident victims deal with psychological issues after an auto accident. One of the most prominent problems is depression. This psychological trauma is not necessarily limited to major car crashes, but even minor fender benders can cause this type of response.
The timing of the psychological issues can develop months to years after the accident, and resolution can take 18 months or longer. Passengers tend to have symptoms for a longer period of time, and this might be due to their lack of control in the crash.
Why Psychological Trauma Symptoms Are Linked to a Car Accident
Immediately after a car accident, many individuals are in shock. This alone causes issues. If the injury is life-altering, it is a small wonder that psychological trauma also happens, usually after the physical injury is treated. For many, the activities once enjoyed by the individual may no longer be possible. Unfortunately, mixing socially with family and friends can be limited.
Psychological Symptoms
Initially, the person may feel depressed, traumatized and no longer in control of their life. The driver and other occupants may feel a sense of numbness, anger and fear. Anger may be directed toward the negligent driver or even members of the family due to a perceived belief that they could have done more. A sense of guilt may appear when the driver feels guilty for injuries suffered by people in the car accident, whether or not it was their fault.
Anxiety
Anxiety can change one’s mental outlook significantly. Some of the manifestations of anxiety are:
- Inability to concentrate
- Lack of energy
- Insomnia
- Constant activity
- Persistent worries
- Angry displays against others
- Helplessness
- Irritability
- Not wanting to engage socially
Professional Treatment
Problems that require professional medical attention are:
- Excessive drug and alcohol use
- Angry outbursts
- Severe insomnia
- Loss of appetite
- Nightmares
- Loss of connection to others
- Heightened anxiety states
- Fear of driving or being a motor vehicle passenger
- Flashbacks
- Desire to hurt oneself
Emotional/Psychological Impact on Physical Problems
Heightened stress can have an ill effect on the person’s recovery. For instance, medical professionals know that stress can affect the ability to heal. Persistently elevated cortisol levels can also have a deleterious effect on the heart, causing high blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms.
Morris Law Firm
The staff and attorneys at the Morris Law Firm are aware of the psychological trauma of a car accident. They provide compassionate service and work hard to obtain the compensation you deserve.
Call (843) 232-0944 in the Myrtle Beach area and (803) 470-4444 in Aiken today. You can also reach out to us online. It is unfair that the injured party should incur both physical and financial harm when they did nothing wrong. We are here for you.
