Did you know that often the most challenging part of a traumatic injury occurs after you sign your hospital discharge paperwork?
Broken bones heal. Bruises fade. Scars settle down.
However, nightmares, freaking out at a crowded intersection, and that dull depressed feeling that lingers for months can remain long after your injuries appear “healed” on paper.
The good news?
Each and every one of those symptoms can be healed. And there are SO many more resources available now than most survivors know.
What you’ll discover:
- The Hidden Injury After A Serious Accident
- Therapy Options That Actually Work
- Support Groups, Medication And Crisis Help
- Paying For Mental Health Treatment
The Injury That Never Shows Up On An X-Ray
Serious accidents do damage that no scan can pick up.
One large meta-analysis of road traffic accidents discovered that 20.3% develop PTSD. Depression appears to be even more prevalent than PTSD. Among one cohort of hospitalized trauma patients, 68.4% screened positive for depression at some point during the year following injury.
Here’s the part that really stings…
In that study only 22.2% were treated for depression. There were symptoms. There was no help.
Cost is one of them. Therapy isn’t cheap, and finances are often tight quickly after a crash. That’s part of the reason a Dallas personal injury attorney helps accident victims file counselling sessions, psychiatric appointments and therapy bills alongside their medical expenses. A personal injury lawyer documents an injury claim with receipts of losses, so emotional damage requires paperwork just like a broken femur. Victims who bring up mental health concerns early tend to be in much better positions down the road.
So what does that support actually look like? Let’s break it down.
Trauma Therapy: The Strongest Place To Start
Speaking with a licensed trauma therapist is the best option for tried and true support as an accident survivor. This isn’t “just talking”. These are evidence-based therapies with years of research.
Three approaches come up again and again:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Assists survivors in identifying the thinking patterns that maintain fearfulness – and replace them with more realistic ones.
- EMDR: Uses bilateral stimulation (usually guided eye movements) while recalling the memory which allows the brain to file it away correctly rather than continuously playing it back.
- Exposure Therapy: Gradually helps the patient to re-approach avoided situations/drives such as driving past where the accident occurred or sitting in a passenger seat.
Most survivors notice a difference within a few months, not years. That surprises people.
Also worth knowing: only about 14% of U.S. adults received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional in the last 12 months. Getting this help is much more normal than it seems.
Support Groups: Sitting With People Who Get It
Therapy handles the clinical side. Support groups handle something else entirely.
Friends and family mean well but they typically can’t relate. Having a room full of people who have experienced car crashes or workplace accidents/burns is unlike anything else. Everyone in that room will know what you’re going through; you won’t have to explain anything twice.
Support groups are useful because they:
- Cost little or nothing to attend
- Reduce the isolation that comes with a long recovery
- Offer practical tips from people further along the road
- Make the recovery feel less strange and less lonely
Trauma groups can be run directly by hospitals, rehab centers and trauma units. Internet groups are also effective, particularly for survivors who aren’t ready to drive or who live far away from metropolitan areas.
Medication And Ongoing Medical Care
Sometimes talk therapy needs backup.
Physicians might also prescribe medication to treat anxiety, depression or sleep issues resulting from a serious accident. Medication isn’t a substitute for therapy — rather, it works best in conjunction with it to allow the brain to be stable enough for therapy to take effect.
The key is being truthful during appointments. Physical symptoms are always reported. Emotional symptoms are rarely mentioned.
Things worth mentioning to a doctor include:
- Sleep problems and repeated nightmares
- Avoiding cars, roads or the accident location
- Irritability, anger or emotional numbness
- Trouble concentrating at work or at home
Note: Recommendations for medication are solely at the discretion of a qualified physician familiar with the patient’s complete medical history, particularly when opioid painkillers are already being used.
Support That’s Available Right Now
Some days can’t wait for a scheduled appointment.
In the U.S., crisis contacts are available 24/7 to survivors through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by phone or text. Hospital trauma teams also maintain crisis resources. Employers often provide free confidential counseling sessions through an Employee Assistance Program.
If you or someone you know feels threatened or overwhelmed please contact one of these agencies or a trusted health care provider immediately.
Everyday Habits That Carry The Recovery
Professional treatment does the heavy lifting. Daily habits keep the progress steady between sessions.
Little things can be more significant than you realize. Going to bed around the same time every night helps normalize the nervous system. Slow, physiotherapist-approved movement releases built-up tension in an injured body. Reducing alcohol intake is important as well. Self-medicating with alcohol after trauma is common, but alcohol will always exacerbate anxiety and sleep problems.
Routine also helps. Recovery feels less random when the day has some form — meals at regular times, a short walk, completing one small task.
And don’t fall into the biggest trap of all: believing you have to “feel normal” to start living again. Confidence comes after the small steps, not before.
Paying For Treatment Without Draining Savings
Treatment for mental health is a recognised accident expense. There are many ways to cover it.
Health insurance often covers therapy, but policies differ on number of sessions allowed and size of provider network. Auto insurance may cover treatment under medical payments coverage in some states. Workers’ compensation will cover psychological treatment if the accident was work-related. Community clinics and university training clinics may offer sliding-scale fees.
Documentation is everything. Put all receipts, referrals and appointment notes together. Without documentation, suffering stays invisible to everyone except the person living it.
Bringing It All Together
Serious accidents leave two sets of injuries, and only one of them is visible.
PTSD, depression and anxiety are very normal after a serious car accident — and they can improve with treatment. Those that recover the best use a variety of tools. They seek out professional counseling, find a support group, have open dialogue with their physician and maintain healthy daily routines.
Recovery isn’t linear. There will be good weeks and rough weeks.
It’s asking for help early, tracking every session and respecting the brain like a broken leg would be respected. That’s what makes the difference. Help is out there. Reaching for it is the hardest part.