Can Someone Get PTSD After a Serious Personal Injury in Las Vegas, Nevada?

After being involved in a serious accident or injury event, many people continue to feel anxiety or fear. If you have been through a traumatic injury or witnessed a fatality in a car accident, these feelings are common. This is called post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD for short. If you are wondering if you could be suffering from PTSD after a serious accident or injury, here is some information to guide you:
 

PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD can present itself through continued feelings of Anxiety, Stress, or Fear, that simply will not go away. These symptoms are one of the most common reactions to a traumatic event. At the time of the event, you may have an overwhelming experience of fear-- of being physically injured or even of being killed. This can and oftentimes does carryover after the trauma has stopped. Common symptoms of PTSD include:
    •    Being afraid to go anywhere where a similar event can take place.
    •    Feeling anxious all the time.
    •    Stressed with even the smallest of tasks.

Fear responses associated with the event (to certain sights, sounds, smells, thoughts, etc.) can persists for weeks, months, or even years. People who have been part of a serious accident or injury, typically avoid anything which reminds them of the event (places, situations, people, etc.). Some people become so fearful that they greatly restrict their activities, even to the point that they are unable to leave their homes or to be left alone.
 
Helplessness

Another reaction to an extremely traumatic event, is the feeling of helplessness. Some common types of responses are:
    •    Feel helpless to stop the event.
    •    Feeling hopeless about the present.
    •    Feel hopeless about whether anything can be done in the future.
 
Flashbacks
A common symptom people experience after a traumatic event, is to re-experience the event. This vivid symptom is called a flashback. People re-experience the event over and over again in their thoughts and in their dreams. These flashbacks make you feel like the event is happening all over again. Proper psychological counseling can lessen the occurrence and intensity of flashbacks.
 
Depression

One of the most common reactions after a serious accident or injury is depression. Feelings of unrelenting sadness and unhappiness, that prevent you from living life the way you did before the event, may indicate that you are suffering from depression. Depression can include feelings of hopelessness and despair. You may having frequent unprovoked crying spells or even contemplating suicide. Losing interest in daily activities that you used to enjoy, is also another sign. 
 
Problems Concentrating

A very common symptom after a traumatic event, is not being able to stay focused on the task at hand. Trouble concentrating is a common refrain from people after a traumatic event. This ability to stay focused can feel frustrating and add to the sense of loss of control.

The best thing to keep in mind is that effective therapy is available if you are suffering from PTSD. Your experienced personal injury attorney will be able to help you get the medical care you need, to put you on the road to recovery.
 
Next time, we will discuss whether health insurance companies can be reimbursed for medical bills they paid after a Las Vegas car accident.