Why You Should Talk to a Psychologist After a Car Accident

Why You Should Talk to a Psychologist After a Car Accident

If you’ve ever experienced a car accident, you should ask yourself if the idea of driving again makes you anxious? Do you crave getting back on the road but can’t because the thoughts from your last accident are still holding you back? You should know that you aren’t alone. Each year, over 2 million victims get gravely injured in motor accidents. The major causes of these accidents range from drunk driving, and not using a seatbelt, to ignoring traffic directions.

After a car accident, it’s understandable to feel unbalanced, anxious, or irritated. Getting back to day-to-day activities may not be the easiest thing to go through. However, there’s one route that may work wonders for you. That’s the path of therapy.

Here, we’ll give you an understanding of what psychologists do and their process of helping those who are dealing with the aftermath of a motor accident.

Why you need to see a psychologist after a motor accident

After a car accident and your physical injuries are indulged and remedied, there’s a high chance that you still have underlying mental issues to deal with. If you have been involved in a motor accident, it’s important to take out time to process the feelings.

You may be tempted to say you feel fine, however, you should take the time to not only see a primary care physician, but also a licensed psychologist.

Here are some common mental health issues that can come up after a car accident;

  • depression,
  • anxiety,
  • post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
  • risky behaviors while driving.

What a psychologist does for car accident victims

There are a number of treatment options that are available to you after a car accident, but the first step is a thorough assessment of your physical and mental health. They include;

  • Neuropsychological evaluation
  • Chronic pain assessment
  • Head injury evaluation
  • Mental health assessment

Treatment options that are available to victims after a successful assessment process include;

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Group therapy
  • Medication

Before you meet with your psychologist, keeping a journal of your sleep patterns for at least one week may be a great idea. Any other vital information you can give about your moods and habits will assist in their diagnostic process.

The next step is to find the right doctor to talk to. If you’re having trouble driving after an accident, you should consult a psychologist as soon as you can.

What a psychologist does is important for your recovery. It might be tempting to try to deal with an accident by yourself, but you can’t do anything wrong with professional help. Instead, you’ll accelerate your healing process by talking about your trauma and getting help.

If you need to find a new doctor, we’ve got answers.

We at Colorado Accident and Injury Center have some of the best car accident doctors in Colorado Springs that can provide a multidisciplinary approach to pain management, therapy, and rehabilitation for patients who have experienced motor accidents to different degrees.

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