When you are in a car crash, physical injuries are often easy to notice and diagnose. Mental scarring and psychological trauma can harm you even if you do not realize how dangerous or serious these issues are at first.
Dealing with trauma and other extreme emotions after a vehicle accident can influence your behavior and your state of mind in everyday life.
Constant anxiety
According to Psychology Today, one sign that you could still struggle with trauma after an injury is a lack of relaxation when around cars. You may feel jittery and on alert while near moving cars or you could even want to avoid any vehicles in general.
This anxiety is generally irrational and could stop you from living as you did before the accident. Some people may even give up driving altogether if they cannot get behind the wheel without feeling nervous. This can affect your relationships with your loved ones and even your job.
Shame and fixation on the problem
Even months after the incident, you may find yourself still thinking about the order of events of the crash itself. If you are constantly replaying the moment of the accident in your mind and you find it hard to stay asleep or fall asleep during the night, this could be a sign of trauma.
You may even feel intense shame for getting into an accident in the first place. Your emotions could vary wildly from fear to anger to depression. Noticing the signs of psychological trauma can help you determine what steps to take next after a serious auto accident.