A Large Number Of People Who Are Involved In Car Accidents Are Prone To Develop Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD Is An Anxiety Disorder Associated With Serious Traumatic Events And Characterized By Such Symptoms As Survivor Guilt, Reliving The Trauma In Dreams, Numbness And Lack Of Involvement With Reality, Or Recurrent Thoughts And Images. This Symptom May Be Contracted By People Who Have Survived Serious Car Accidents As Well As Soldiers Who Had Traumatic Experiences In The Battlefield.
A Study That Was Conducted By Psychologists Edward Blanchard, From The University Of Albany, And Edward Hickling, In Private Practice In Albany, N.Y. To Show The Connection Between PTSD And Car Accidents. Blanchard And Hickling Studied 161 Car Accident Survivors Making Updates On Their Mental Condition For The Next Five Years After The Accident. These Victims Have Been Reported To Have Sought Medical Attention For The Injury They Have Sustained.
The Result Of The Study Showed A Grim Picture Of The Situation Car Accident Victims Are In. In The Group Studied, 110 Were Diagnosed With PTSD, And Of Those With PTSD, The Researchers Report That 60 Percent Also Were Diagnosed With Major Depression.
"Besides This Being A National Public Health Problem," Says The Authors Of After The Crash: Assessment And Treatment Of Motor Vehicle Accident Survivors, Which Is Published By The American Psychological Association (APA), "it Is Also Taking A Psychological Toll. Not Only Are Almost Half Of Those In Car Accidents At A Noticeable Risk For Developing PTSD, But There Are Other Non-symptomatic Signs That Affect Them, Like Having Trouble On The Job And In School, Maintaining Friendships And Not Being Able To Enjoy Leisure Time."
Since Broken Bones And Soft Tissue Injuries Are The First Things Taken Care Of After A Car Accident, The Emergency Room And Primary Care Medical Doctors Along With The Physical Therapist End Up Becoming The Gatekeepers To Other Caretakers, Says Dr. Blanchard. "Knowing About PTSD Symptoms Would Be Very Important In Making An Appropriate Referral. This Is Similar To What Primary Care Physicians Went Through 15 Years Ago When They Were Being Sensitized To Symptoms Of Depression."
"Also, Because Of The Debilitating Effect Car Accidents Can Have And The Necessity Of Daily Driving In Many People's Lives, It Is Crucial To Have Services Available To Those Suffering From The Repercussions Of An Accident. One Has To Be Able To Drive A Car Or Be A Passenger Without Experiencing Severe Anxiety," Says Dr. Blanchard.
The Trauma Brought By Car Accidents Require Serious Attention And Providing Assistance To The Victims Is Necessary To Bring Them Out Of Their Shell For Them To Be Productive Again.
