How Do Car Accidents Affect My Mental Health?
Michael Babboni
Law
When a car accident happens, people pay attention mostly to physical injuries, property damages, and compensation for the harm and inconveniences that the accident inflicted against the victim. What is easily overlooked, both by the victim and the at-fault party is the impact of the car accident on the mental health of those who are involved.Car accidents can leave a scar not only on the body but also on the mind. The trauma that people experience can be a long-term effect that can influence daily activities and routines. How exactly do car accidents affect your mental health and what can be done about it?
Effects Of Car Accidents On Mental Health:
• Anxiousness - The trauma of being in a car accident, especially those that brought victims to the brink of death, can leave people anxious and even terrified of being in a car. Others would even refuse to ride a vehicle at all, opting to walk and stay out and away from a car as much as possible.
Anxiousness can lead to anxiety and panic attacks, which can manifest in different ways like difficulty breathing, sweating, and even crying.
• Difficulty Sleeping - Surviving a car accident can be a surreal experience that some people often wonder whether it really happened or not, or how they even survived the situation. Nevertheless, car accident survivors can have difficulty achieving a peaceful sleep.
Whether it is caused by overthinking, flashbacks, or nightmares, the truth of the matter is that it has affected their sleeping pattern, and may need medication to remedy it.
• Depression - There are a lot of things that can make car accident victims fall into a depressed state. After all, accidents can also cause permanent body injuries that can leave them incapacitated for the rest of their life. It can also cause harm to their loved ones who also are involved in the accident.
Whatever the reason is, it cannot be denied that car accident victims can cause people to be depressed.
• Mood Swings - The impact of car accidents on the mental health of people can be seen as a domino effect. As stress builds up from sleep deprivation and anxiety, it can lead to other states like depression and mood swings. Some switch from a really energetic mood to depressing or aggressive behavior.
Can We Seek Compensation For Emotional And Psychological Damages?
Mental and emotional pain are also as valid as physical injuries. As such, you can seek assistance and compensation from your insurance providers or from the at-fault party to help you with your medical needs. People who undergo emotional pain also need professional attention from a doctor, and this is part of the damages that needed to be compensated.
Filing a personal injury lawsuit and an insurance claim is what you can do. Make sure to prepare the needed documentation and requirements to help you strengthen your case. Mental and emotional distress can be harder to prove compared to physical injuries, so getting a professional statement from doctors and hospitals will be very helpful.
You should also get in touch with a personal injury attorney who can help you with the whole process as you recover from your injuries.