Although you may know what physical injuries you have following an intense vehicle accident, you may underestimate the extent of your psychological complications.
The unexpected stress and fear from this incident can leave you with lasting mental scars. Learning more about the signs of these issues can help you if you notice problems as time goes on.
Sleeplessness and fatigue
According to Psychology Today, the shock you feel after a car crash can last longer than you assume. One sign of this is if you struggle to fall asleep consistently or stay asleep throughout the night since this traumatic event could leave you too stressed to get a full night’s rest.
You may replay moments from the crash over in your mind as you try to fall asleep, which can leave you feeling tense and overwhelmed for long periods of time.
Guilt and regret
No matter how the accident happened, the anger and guilt you feel from your injuries can harm you. You could fixate on mistakes you or the other person made instead of living your life and moving forward. You may even feel a sense of survivor’s guilt if a passenger in your car died or suffered from severe injuries.
Hyperawareness
When you try to travel in a car after your accident, you may notice that you feel constantly on edge. Some people cannot even step inside a vehicle or get behind the wheel without feeling a surge of intense fear.
This hyperawareness means that any minor threat or reminder of the accident can instantly bring back those feelings from the moment of the crash. Dealing with the stress of a car crash can have serious consequences for your mental health.
