Being part of a multicar accident can be a traumatic experience for anyone. Apart from your physical injuries, which may need extensive medical treatment, you may also suffer mentally. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety are just some of the mental health conditions that you may experience following a multicar collision. You may also suffer from driving phobia or anxiety, which can be debilitating.
What is driving anxiety?
Driving anxiety refers to intense distress while driving, or the fear of driving a vehicle. Also known as motorphobia, this may cause avoidance behaviors, such as having other people drive for you or staying away from the road and other conditions that may make you feel unsafe. This may be a common phenomenon after a car accident, with symptoms overlapping with that of anxiety and trauma.
What are the signs of driving anxiety?
Driving anxiety may come unexpectedly or happen after an accident, but it can also build slowly over time. Common signs of driving anxiety include the following:
- Anxiety when riding a car
- Having heart palpitations and feeling anxious
- Experiencing panic attacks
- Shortness of breath and shaking limbs, sweating
- Having an irrational fear of getting hurt or dying
You may find yourself exhausted after driving or after a trip. This is because your body is on survival mode, with all your systems on high alert. This might require a significant amount of recovery time.
What are your treatment options?
Recovering from driving anxiety caused by a multicar accident may seem daunting, but it is important to remember that you have treatment options.
One option is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which may help ease the symptoms of generalized anxiety, including phobias and PTSD. You may also opt for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) which may help you process painful memories associated with the accident.
Another option is exposure therapy, which ranks your triggers from the most troublesome to the least, then exposing you to them in a controlled environment. The goal is for you to develop coping skills and eventually face your fears.
Seeking compensation for your injuries
If you are a victim of a multicar accident, remedies may be available to help cover the expense of the accident. California law allows those who are injured due to another driver’s negligent or reckless driving to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs related to your injury. Understanding your rights is essential in receiving the compensation you deserve.
If you suffer from driving anxiety following a car accident, contact the Law Offices of Aman N. Shah to learn more about your legal options.
