fbpx

6 tips for coping with emotional trauma after an accident

trauma accidentBeen involved in an accident that has caused you emotional trauma? Use these six tips to cope and get your life back on the right track! 

Emotional and psychological traumas can result after an extraordinarily stressful event. Accidents of all sorts that result in injuries can leave you with a powerful emotional wound and post-traumatic stress disorder. 

One reason why emotional trauma occurs after an accident is the fact that it can lead to significant changes in life.

For example….

A car accident that results in severe injuries or illness can cause disability which turns one’s life upside down.

Another obvious reason why people remain with emotional and psychological trauma after an accident is the shock suffered during the accident. 

Such traumas can lead to more severe problems like anxiety and depression.

For example, one victim of a car accident may feel terrified of ever driving a car or even being in one for a long time.

For those whose accidents have to change their life completely, coping with all the changes, like loss of work and income or inability to walk, can lead to very depressing thoughts. 

No worries. I’m here to help.

As you might know, I am a bestselling author of the resiliency psychology filled book called Bounce Back. Plus I founded the groundbreaking video course called The Anxiety Cure.

I personally know what it’s like to feel stressed and anxious.

Thankfully I also know how to develop the superpower of calm. I’m committed to helping people to live calm, happy lives  – which is why I decided to write this article.

Now, one thing is clear: if you’ve experienced an accident that has caused not only bodily but also emotional traumas, you need to learn how to cope with and overcome the damage.

6 tips for coping with emotional trauma after an accident

Here are six tips that can help: 

1. Talk to a specialist 

The first thing you should do if you suspect that you have an emotional trauma over an accident you’ve suffered is to talk to a therapist. Suppose you experience symptoms like shock, denial, confusion, anger, mood swings, feeling sad or hopeless, or feeling anxiety and fear. In that case, the chances are that you are struggling with emotional and psychological trauma. 

An expert therapist can help you make order in your thoughts and feelings regarding the accident and find the proper steps towards healing. It is essential to ask for the help of a specialist who can help you recognize and understand your trauma before it gets more severe and affects your mental and emotional wellbeing. 

2. Bring the guilty person to justice 

Finding justice can be a way of overcoming emotional and psychological trauma brought by the accident. If you’ve been involved in an accident that occurred due to someone else’s negligence, you

As the personal injury experts from UKLaw explain, “ Victims of accidents who have suffered severe injuries may develop feelings of frustration, anger, and vengeance if they don’t see that the guilty person for their trauma pays for it.” In other words, finding justice and getting compensation from the defendant for causing your injuries is a legal and secure way of finding justice and eliminate all negative feelings towards the person who has made you suffer. 

Seek professional legal help and bring the guilty person to justice in order to put an end to your anger and need for vengeance, which are all negative emotions that can keep one hooked on their emotional trauma. 

3. Surround yourself with your loved ones 

Emotional trauma often makes people feel the need to withdraw from others. Some feel like they are not understood, and some start feeling that their accident has transformed them into a burden for their loved ones. Yet, isolating yourself from your loved ones is a huge mistake, especially when you’re already dealing with emotional and psychological trauma. 

Friends, relatives, and partners are always going to want to support and help you through the difficult moments of your life. They can listen to you and give you advice on how to overcome your negative feelings. Plus, in case the accident has left you with a temporary or permanent disability, they will offer you support in moving forward with your life. 

4. Focus on your wellness 

Often, the key to healing emotional trauma lays within ourselves. Talking to a specialist or loved ones and finding justice are essential steps in the process of healing. Yet, the only real way to heal your emotional wounds is to work towards that every day of your life. 

To overcome emotional and psychological trauma, you need to start focusing more on your wellness. This can mean that you should stay active to make your brain release endorphins, the good-feeling neurotransmitters. It can mean that you can meditate to learn how to pause your negative thoughts and find some clarity. Or, it could mean that you can do whatever healthy activity makes you feel more positive, like practising a new hobby, meeting with loved ones, or taking some exciting courses. 

However, keep in mind that you shouldn’t just engage with any activity only to keep your mind busy. If you genuinely want to overcome trauma, incorporate mindfulness and healing in everything that you do. Don’t ignore trauma. Just learn how to get on with your life despite the trauma. 

5. Write it down 

Writing your thoughts down is another mindfulness strategy that can help manage your fears and other negative emotions caused by the accident. By putting your thoughts and feelings into written words that you can examine, understand, and reread, you gain more clarity regarding what you are feeling and experiencing. 

Keeping a journal in which you document everything that you’re experiencing after the accident can help you keep track of your progress during your recovery process. 

6. Empower yourself 

Being a victim of an accident tends to leave people with some deep feelings of hopelessness and fear. This can only contribute to your mental and emotional trauma, preventing you from finding healing. For example, if you’ve been involved in a car accident and you’ve suffered a mental trauma due to it, you may continue fearing ever getting in a vehicle before. 

So, one good strategy to prevent the trauma from being a recurrent one that slows down or stops your healing, you can look for ways to empower yourself. Whatever it is that you fear after the accident, learn how to avoid a similar accident in the future better. Depending on the nature of your accident, you can, for example, take defensive driver courses, learn how to prevent sports-related injuries better, or how to avoid clinical negligence. With knowledge and skills to avoid a future accident comes empowerment and healing. 

Live your best life

Read my resiliency psychology filled book: Bounce Back.

Think happier. Think calmer.

Think about subscribing for free weekly tools here.

No SPAM, ever! Read the Privacy Policy for more information.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This