Why Do I Feel Weird After A Car Accident? (2024)

FAQs

Why Do I Feel Weird After A Car Accident? ›

Shock And Disorientation

The symptoms of emotional distress can last for a few days or weeks after the accident. Some individuals may experience symptoms for several months or longer. Emotions that are common after car accidents include shock, anger, guilt, denial, anxiety, fear, and irritability.

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of civilian cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the United States. Car collisions can be extremely traumatic and mentally damaging, leading to feelings of panic, anxiety, and stress that cause the victim to suffer long after the collision is over.

Emotional Trauma After a Car Accident

Even if people recover fully from their injuries after a crash, the psychological impact can linger for months or even years. Many individuals experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, which can cause long-term feelings of panic, anxiety and stress.

For many individuals, the symptoms of PTSD following a serious MVA may include psychologically re-experiencing the trauma (e.g., intrusive thoughts about the accident, distressing dreams about the accident), persistent avoidance of thoughts or situations associated with the accident (e.g., reluctance or refusal to ...

Severe Physical Injuries

Car accident injuries can be life-altering, especially if they involve the following: Spinal cord injuries resulting in paraplegia or quadriplegia. Moderate or severe traumatic brain injuries. Loss of one or more limbs.

Some symptoms demand emergency care, including intense pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, severe bleeding, or any signs of head, neck, or spinal injuries. These red flags warrant immediate hospital visits to prevent complications.

The physical force of a collision can violently shake your body, leading to injuries and damage. Victims commonly suffer from whiplash, head injuries, spinal cord trauma, and limb injuries.

Physiological shock must be addressed immediately, or its effects can prove fatal. Psychological shock may pass in days or weeks with medical attention. However, conditions caused by your injuries could cause shock months or years after an accident. The symptoms of PTSD can also prove long-term, even with counseling.

How long does emotional shock last? ›

Emotional trauma can last from a few days to a few months.

Persistent symptoms that interfere with sleep, work, or relationships require the attention of a qualified psychiatrist.

Many people experience pain after a car accident, and delayed symptoms are common. For instance, you may notice soreness in your neck or shoulders, start to have abdominal pain, or get headaches hours or days after the accident.

For many people, these feelings of unease may subside organically with time as they come to terms with what happened. However, others might develop persistent anxiety symptoms lasting weeks, even months post-accident; situations like driving or even being near vehicles could invoke serious distress.

It's common to feel muscle aches and fatigue in the hours after a car accident. The stress of an accident alone can deplete your energy and make you feel sore all over. However, never chalk up aches and pains to stress alone. Always visit a doctor to confirm you have not been injured.

It may help to read about other people's experiences online, or talk to others who have had similar experiences. Many people who have caused accidental death or injury find strength and solace from talking to trusted people about what happened and how they feel.

Most doctors recommend at least 48 hours of rest after a car accident. Then, depending on the severity of your injury, you may be cleared to slowly reintegrate daily exercise. Simple exercises and stretches are the best bet for a safe healing journey.

If you have been in a car accident you should expect to be sore anywhere from a few days up to six weeks, depending upon the severity of the accident. For minor car accidents, expect soreness for a few days to a few weeks. For more severe car accidents, expect soreness to last two to three months. Need Legal Help?

Getting into a car accident can take a severe toll on the human body. The physical force of a collision can violently shake your body, leading to injuries and damage. Victims commonly suffer from whiplash, head injuries, spinal cord trauma, and limb injuries.