Some of the most severe injuries stem from high-speed and high-impact collisions caused by the negligence of others. Individuals always think about the injuries that they have suffered due to these reckless acts but they sometimes forget about the emotional impact that it can have on your life. When an accident includes significant injuries, there is always a chance that a victim will experience post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms.

What is PTSD? 

PTSD is a type of disorder that is psychiatric in nature and occurs in those who have suffered a traumatic event or watched something traumatic happen in front of them. Those who experience PTSD may have been through active combat, a serious accident, an assault, or in the middle of a natural disaster. Many people who suffer the impact of PTSD will experience intense and disturbing thoughts and feelings that relate to their experience. These symptoms can appear for many months and years after a particular event has taken place.

What Are the Symptoms of PTSD?  

There are four primary types of symptoms relating to PTSD after an accident. A victim might not experience all of these symptoms, or they could experience every single one:

Intrusion: These symptoms occur when the victim experiences intrusive thoughts and endures recurrent recollections of the traumatic event. 

Numbing: Numbing occurs when a victim keeps an emotional distance from everything happening around them, from their friendships to their jobs. They might experience depression and feelings of hopelessness. 

Avoidance: This is when a victim avoids those around them and places that they might associate with the trauma. They might start feeling panic and anxiety when pushed into those situations. For instance, somebody involved in a serious and life-altering car accident might be too afraid to drive or could experience panic attacks when in a vehicle with others. 

Arousal: This is when somebody is constantly alert or experiences sleep disturbances as well as an inability to focus.

How is PTSD Treated?

Treatment of PTSD varies from one person to another. While some might endure tears of talk therapy and work with a psychiatrist, others will respond well to medication and others will experience success with both. PTSD is never an easy solution for victims and can take years for a victim to respond to treatment that helps them through these challenging times.

For a victim to get started on the pathway toward treatment for PTSD, they should always seek medical attention. Many individuals think that they should just “deal with” their emotional damages because they fear that they will not be taken seriously like those who have suffered physically due to an accident. This is not the case. Any type of trauma should always be taken seriously before a victim suffers further.

Seeking Help from an Attorney After a Car Accident 

Emotional damages are just as serious as physical damages following a car accident that was not your fault. Luckily, our car accident attorneys at Sheftall & Associates understand how distressing it can be to face the aftermath of an accident that was not your fault. You have many rights and protections under Florida law. Please contact our accident attorneys at 904-647-2296 for more information.