If you have been in a car accident, it is important that you have your whole body checked for injuries even if you do not have any bruises. There could be minor cracks in your bones that would only worsen when left untreated. If that were the case, a visit to a car accident chiropractor in Lehi would be necessary.

Now, when all of your bones and internal organs have been checked and treated, you should have one more organ checked to see if it encountered trauma. And that would be your brain.

PTSD in car accidents

When people hear about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), they often think of soldiers coming home from war who are finding it hard to fit back in society. People rarely think that any kind of trauma can lead to PTSD.

If you went through something less dramatic, like a car accident, you could also suffer from PTSD. If you do, you could be exhibiting the following behaviors.

• Re-experiencing symptoms – This is when you suffer from recurring nightmares or flashbacks of the accident. They also come out as visual or auditory memories, like hearing screeching tires in your mind. The symptoms can be so severe that they disrupt your sleep and performance of daily tasks.
• Hyper-arousal – This is when you experience increased anxiety over matters that used to be trivial to you. For example, when you get behind a steering wheel, you find yourself unable to drive properly because the mere sound of an ambulance siren or a speeding car is enough to cause your heart to palpitate. Other symptoms associated with this condition are sweating profusely, rapid breathing, and feeling of nausea.
• Avoidance – This is when you do not want to talk about the accident or pass through the area where it happened. You might even avoid the people who were with you in the car when the accident occurred. Being reminded of the details of the crash distresses you severely.
• Negative perspective – After the accident, you might start thinking that driving is unsafe and so, you would try to convince people to stay away from highways and cars. This condition comes from people who are unable to manage their fears about the accident and are developing paranoia over driving.

Treating car crash-related PTSD

If you or anyone you know suffered a car crash and has been exhibiting these symptoms, it is important for that person to receive treatment. PTSD could be a debilitating condition that affects not just the patient's life but those of their loved ones, too. A person with PTSD could also become violent or suicidal if the condition is left untreated.

So, even if a person you know went through a car accident and left the area unscathed, it is not safe to assume that they are perfectly fine. The brain is a complex and fragile organ that could easily be fractured by traumatic experiences. If you think that person is suffering from PTSD, seek help right away.