How Car Accidents Can Cause Ptsd

Stress and anxiety cause a wide array of medical problems and can lead to serious health complications including anxiety disorders such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. While any kind of anxiety disorder is difficult for both the victim and their loved ones PTSD can have negative effects on all levels of a sufferers life including their personal relationships, job, and their physical and psychological health and wellbeing. PTSD is typically associated with war veterans or Shell Shock, but the causes for this disorder expand well beyond war trauma and often include trauma such as assault or a serious auto accident. Through my time as an auto crash attorney I have seen the effects of PTSD destroy the lives of many serious auto accident victims.

PTSD Defined:

20% of people that go through a traumatic event in their lives suffer from PTSD. With PTSD sufferers unlike victims of other anxiety disorders, however, PTSD is triggered by a traumatic experience, it lasts for a prolonged period of time, and has severe life-altering symptoms that can affect all different aspects of a victims life.

Some common symptoms of PTSD include: Flashbacks, Nightmares, Feeling removed from life, Random thoughts about the traumatic experience, Anger, Inability to sleep or insomnia, Forgetting parts of the traumatic event, Hypervigilence, Irritability, A sense of fear when the event is mentioned or thought of

PTSD can be tricky to diagnose as it does not always develop right away. In fact, sometimes it will take weeks, months or even years for the victim to start feeling the effects of PTSD. Abused or assaulted children may develop PTSD many years after the traumatic incidents took place.

PTSD Causes:

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder goes far beyond the initial cause of the stress, as it chemically alters the brain and its normal processes. Adrenaline is released when the body is afraid. Adrenaline provides the rush that people feel in times of great excitement or fear. For those suffering with PTSD, however, the body over produces adrenaline making the victims unnecessarily jumpy, hyper-responsive and fearful. After the traumatic event, some researchers believe, the PTSD victims brain rewires itself and puts itself on end. Because of this extra adrenaline being pumped through their system Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder sufferers live in a constant state of fear and anxiety.

PTSD can be caused by a number of different physical or psychologically traumatic events such as: Severe auto accident, Fatal auto accident (survivor guilt), Abuse, Shell shock or war trauma, Sexual assault or abuse, Rape, Death of a loved one, Childhood neglect, Natural disaster

PTSD Treatment:

Treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder depends largely on the victim's symptoms and the physician. There is a multitude of options to choose from, including psychological help such as counseling and therapy, as well as medications that can deal with any chemical problems. PTSD medications can have a wide variety of side effects and are only prescribed when completely necessary.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can lead to very serious psychological and physical problems including depression, medical complications and suicidal thoughts. If you have experienced the symptoms listed in this article for a prolonged period of time contact a doctor immediately.

If your condition is the result of a severe or fatal auto accident contact an experienced personal injury attorney- the medical bills associated with PTSD can be extremely high and if another driver caused your complications you may be eligible for compensation.