Get help for your Personal Injury Clients/Patients
Get help for your Accident Related PTSD Symptoms at No Out of Pocket Cost.
Am I having PTSD after an accident?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a traumatic event. In the case of a personal injury accident, 23% - 30% of the time victims and witnesses can experience PTSD symptoms. Many times symptoms don't resolve quickly on their own.
Symptoms may vary with each individual.
Common PTSD Symptoms Can Include:
Click a common symptom to learn more.
Anxiety induced by driving
Just the thought of driving a vehicle again can be overwhelming for someone with post accident PTSD.
Flashbacks
can be triggered by a sensory feeling, an emotional memory, a reminder of the event, or even an unrelated stressful experience.
Avoiding activities you once enjoyed
can be a response to trauma and is a sign of depression or anxiety.
Feeling emotionally numb
can be an unconscious protective response to feeling difficult emotions due to anxiety, stress, or trauma.
Upsetting dreams
can stem from fear or stress and be a response to recent life changes, traumatic events, insomnia or disrupted sleep.
Feeling hopeless
is frequently associated with a desire to isolate, and with negative feelings such as helplessness and powerlessness.
Memory problems
PTSD related memory loss can make it difficult to remember lists or facts, can make memory seem fragmented or disorganized, or can lead to large gaps in memory altogether.
Trouble concentrating
PTSD affects a number of brain areas specifically the amygdala and the pre-frontal cortex. Sufferers report they have a hard time paying attention or concentrating while completing daily tasks. This is often the result of being very anxious.
Difficulty maintaining close relationships
The symptoms of PTSD can cause problems with trust, closeness, communication, and problem solving. These problems may affect the way the survivor acts with others. In turn, the way a loved one responds to him or her affects the trauma survivor. A circular pattern can develop that may sometimes harm relationships.
Irritability or anger
PTSD causes a higher level of tension and arousal can become a person's normal state. The emotional and physical feelings of anger are more intense. The person may often feel on edge, keyed up, or irritable and may be easily provoked.
Overwhelming guilt or shame
A sense of guilt is a common feature of PTSD, for a diverse range of reasons. Especially 'survivors' guilt'. Other variations include regrets about decisions you made, feeling responsible for the actions of others or guilt that your mental health affects loved ones.
Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event
is an attempt to avoid distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings as well as external reminders such as conversations about the traumatic event or people or places that bring the event to mind.
Trouble sleeping
PTSD disrupts sleep by increasing the duration of light sleep; decreasing the duration of deep, restorative sleep; and interfering with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the stage of sleep linked to dreaming and nightmares. This often results in insomnia—difficulty falling and staying asleep—and daytime fatigue.
Being easily startled or frightened
Emotional stress increases cortisol and adrenaline. Studies have shown that someone with PTSD will continue producing these hormones when they're no longer in danger, which is thought to explain some symptoms such as extreme alertness and being easily startled.
Avoid PTSD Negative Coping Skills
When people are unaware that they have PTSD following a traumatic accident, they may develop negative coping skills to help them handle the symptoms. Common negative responses include:
Substance abuse or taking a lot of drugs or alcohol to feel better
Avoiding others
Staying always on guard
Avoiding reminders of the trauma
Anger and violent behavior
Dangerous Behavior
Working too much
Do I Need Help?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms can come and go. You may have more symptoms when things are stressful in general. It’s normal to have a wide range of feelings and emotions after a traumatic event. You might experience fear and anxiety, a lack of focus, sadness, changes in how well you sleep or how much you eat, or crying spells that catch you off guard. You may have nightmares or be unable to stop thinking about the event.
If you have disturbing thoughts and feelings for more than a few weeks, or if symptoms are severe and you feel you’re having trouble getting your life back under control, PTSD therapy can help. Getting treatment as soon as possible can help prevent symptoms from getting worse.
Which programs work for PTSD?
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT):
CBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is a type of psychotherapy originally researched and developed by the Veterans' Administration to help soldiers suffering from depression and those affected by war. CBT has consistently been found to be an effective treatment for PTSD. It focuses on identifying, understanding, and changing thinking and behavior patterns. CBT is an active treatment which helps the PTSD sufferer learn skills to be applied to their symptoms. The skills learned during therapy sessions help support symptom improvement.
CPT, Cognitive Processing Therapy, is a type of CBT and is based on the VA protocol, but it is specifically trauma-focused. A CPT therapist is highly trauma-informed. As a result, all of Trauma Counseling Associates CPT therapists are more attuned to understanding trauma-based triggers and reactions. Skills learned during therapy sessions help support symptom improvement for over 95% of our clients with this type of therapy. Counseling can usually be competed within 5-10 sessions, depending on the severity of the case.
Accident related PTSD therapy at no out of pocket cost
CONTACT US
Online Counseling at Your Convenience.
Trauma Counseling Associates can help you recover from personal injury related PTSD symptoms in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah with a carefully selected team of therapists. Sessions are short term, online, behavioral therapy and can be done in the convenience of your own home with no out of pocket expense.
Call: 480.431.7303
If you prefer in-person sessions and you are located in Arizona, there are two locations to choose from.
4025 S McClintock Dr Ste 211, Tempe, AZ 85282
4115 E Valley Auto Dr #204, Mesa, AZ 85206
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Trauma Counseling Associates
Helping You Get Your Life Back.
Arizona, Utah, Nevada
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