Symptoms of PTSD After a Motor Vehicle Accident

PTSD is one of the most common injuries in a car accident, and symptoms vary from person to person. 

But the most common symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder include:

• General feelings of uneasiness or anxiety
• Irritability and mood swings
• Excessive worry or aggression
• Insomnia or night terrors
• Feeling a loss of connection with others
• Flashbacks

There are specific PTSD symptoms that are common for motor vehicle accident victims to experience, and it’s essential to differentiate normal feelings of sadness and guilt from PTSD.

1. Vivid Car Accident Nightmares and Flashbacks

PTSD can cause extremely vivid nightmares or flashbacks that make a person feel as if they are back at the crash scene. During the nightmares, a person may shake, shout, or struggle to breathe. The vivid imagery and physical effects take a toll on an individual’s mental health, create physical problems due to the lack of sleep, and cause a person to fear going to sleep.

A PTSD flashback can feel like a nightmare in the waking world. During the flashback, a person is forced to relive their trauma. Anything that reminds the person of the vehicle collision can trigger a flashback, such as seeing a similar car or driving past the collision scene.

2. Avoidance

PTSD can cause accident victims to avoid anything that reminds them of the crash. The avoidance can be intentional or subconscious, and it can cause severe disruptions to their lifestyle. For example, victims may avoid friends involved in the accident, take detours to avoid driving past the accident scene, or, in extreme scenarios, stop riding in cars altogether.

3. High Irritability

Post-traumatic stress disorder can cause people to feel irritated, frustrated, and agitated. They may have less patience or tolerance than usual, and they may feel bothered in situations that once felt comfortable. 

4. Excessive Guilt for the Car Accident

After a vehicle collision, PTSD can cause a person to wonder if they could have prevented the crash. Even if the person did not cause the accident, they may wonder what would have happened if they took a different route or drove slightly slower. If their errors caused another person’s injuries, then the person may suffer extreme guilt that makes it difficult for them to function.

5. Depression

PTSD can trigger other mental ailments, including major depressive disorder. Depression can cause a person to lose interest in activities they once enjoyed and experience feelings of numbness and loss of control.

Treating Car Accident PTSD

The best way to ensure your mental health is not impaired after a vehicle collision is by visiting a medical professional. Healthcare workers and mental health counselors can diagnose PTSD and help you seek appropriate treatment.

PTSD Therapy

After suffering from PTSD, therapy aims to ease your symptoms, teach you skills to deal with the trauma, and restore self-esteem. Most PTSD therapies include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). 

CBT is a form of psychological treatment that helps people change how they behave by eliminating unhealthy thought patterns. For example, CBT treatments help PTSD patients face their fears instead of avoiding them.

PTSD Medications

Post-traumatic stress disorder medications work to balance neurotransmitters in the brain to change how they react to PTSD triggers to prevent anxiety attacks, flashbacks, and nightmares. 

Most of the medications target serotonin or norepinephrine (SSRIs and SNRIs). Some of the most common PTSD medications include:

• Antidepressants
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
• Antipsychotics or second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs)
• Beta-blockers
• Benzodiazepines

PTSD medications won’t necessarily eliminate a person’s symptoms, but they can make them less intense and more manageable. The medicines can stop PTSD symptoms from preventing you from getting through daily activities.