A car accident can be a life-altering event that affects you physically and mentally. After you get into a collision, you may experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in addition to physical injuries.
According to the Mayo Clinic, PTSD is a mental condition that happens after you either witness or experience a terrifying event, like a car accident. If you are struggling to cope mentally and emotionally with the effects of a recent collision, the following strategies may help.
Look after your physical health
The way you feel physically can affect how you feel emotionally and vice versa. As you recover from a car accident, make taking care of your physical health a priority. Try to exercise if possible, eat a nutritious diet, get plenty of rest and limit your reliance on alcohol and other controlled substances.
Accept your feelings
Remember that it is normal to experience feelings of anger, frustration, loss, grief and a variety of other emotions after a car accident. Instead of ignoring these emotions, accept them for what they are and try to work through them.
Talk to someone about the accident
It may be difficult to talk about what happened during the accident, but this can help you process the trauma. Consider talking to a close friend, family member, counselor or anyone else who will support and understand you.
It can take time for life to get back to normal after you get into a car accident. Be patient with yourself and remember that healing emotionally and physically from the collision will not happen overnight.