Suffering from Flashbacks of Your Crash With a Truck? You May Have PTSD.

Being in a collision with a large truck can be a very traumatic event, causing victims of these crashes physical injuries and even emotional and psychological issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). People who are injured in trucking accidents generally want to get their cars fixed, heal from their physical injuries, and get back to normal as soon as possible; however, accident victims who suffer from PTSD may have a difficult time returning to the life they had prior to the crash.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can affect people in different ways. Some victims suffer from intrusive memories of the event while others do whatever it takes to avoid remembering the accident. Emotional effects range from feelings of hopelessness and numbness to frequent angry outbursts and aggressive behavior. No matter how the disorder manifests in an individual, he or she may find that the following areas of their lives are dramatically affected:

• Personal life. It is normal for PTSD sufferers to have panic attacks and feel disconnected and distant from others. Unfortunately, a change in someone’s attitude and personality can lead to relationship changes such as divorce.
• Job life. Victims of PTSD often suffer from flashbacks, which can make it difficult to concentrate at work as they are often distracted. Also, many people with PTSD have a difficult time functioning in society because they aren’t able to let go of their worries and fears.
• Day-to-day life. Many PTSD sufferers are affected in their daily lives because they cannot sleep well due to nightmares and flashbacks of the crash. Also, many people cannot drive following a traumatic truck crash because of the fear associated with driving. Additionally, people who live with PTSD may suffer from depression. Unfortunately, all of these things can seriously affect a person’s daily life for the worse.

Because PTSD after a trucking accident can affect a person’s personal life, job, and day-to-day functioning, it is important that PTSD sufferers don’t dismiss their mental wounds. It’s just as important to seek professional help for emotional and mental damages as it is for physical injuries.