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One out of four individuals who are involved in a traffic accident where anyone is injured may suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of PTSD are frequently overlooked. Acute physical injuries may draw more immediate attention. Accident victims sometimes minimize their own psychological distress for fear of the stigma of "mental" problems.
Attorneys, physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists, and others who interact with accident survivors have precious opportunities to identify those affected by PTSD and assist them in receiving treatment.
Untreated PTSD after motor vehicle accidents (MVA's) has a high, if uncounted, cost. A comprehensive study in Albany, NY found that 93% of MVA survivors who were diagnosed with PTSD restricted or avoided automobile travel in the year following their accident. Patients often accept their restricted travel as inevitable and do not seek treatment on their own.
PTSD is a real problem. Current studies using brain-imaging techniques demonstrate that the symptoms correlate with measurable changes in brain structure and activity. PTSD is not a sign of weakness or an imaginary, made up problem.
Symptoms of PTSD include the following:
Treatment does help. Early intervention with medication and psychotherapy speeds recovery and can minimize the disruption to normal family and occupational activities resulting from PTSD.
How can I identify survivors who need further evaluation and possible treatment for psychological trauma?
The six questions below reflect the major risk factors for developing PTSD. Yes answers reflect possible problems. The more questions answered positively the more it is likely that the patient will develop PTSD. A seventh risk factor is gender. Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men.
Attorneys, physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists, and others who interact with accident survivors have precious opportunities to identify those affected by PTSD and assist them in receiving treatment.
Untreated PTSD after motor vehicle accidents (MVA's) has a high, if uncounted, cost. A comprehensive study in Albany, NY found that 93% of MVA survivors who were diagnosed with PTSD restricted or avoided automobile travel in the year following their accident. Patients often accept their restricted travel as inevitable and do not seek treatment on their own.
PTSD is a real problem. Current studies using brain-imaging techniques demonstrate that the symptoms correlate with measurable changes in brain structure and activity. PTSD is not a sign of weakness or an imaginary, made up problem.
Symptoms of PTSD include the following:
- Increased anxiety and arousal with symptoms such as insomnia, irritability, poor concentration, hypervigilance and exaggerated startle reactions.
- Reexperiencing the accident in distressing dreams and flashbacks. Intense reactions to reminders or the accident. In some cases, hallucinations of the trauma may occur.
- Feelings of detachment and estrangement from formerly satisfying activities or relationships blunted emotions, memory loss, and attempts to avoid reminders of their accident.
Treatment does help. Early intervention with medication and psychotherapy speeds recovery and can minimize the disruption to normal family and occupational activities resulting from PTSD.
How can I identify survivors who need further evaluation and possible treatment for psychological trauma?
The six questions below reflect the major risk factors for developing PTSD. Yes answers reflect possible problems. The more questions answered positively the more it is likely that the patient will develop PTSD. A seventh risk factor is gender. Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men.
- Was anyone killed in the accident?
- Was the patient seriously injured in the accident?
- Was the patient terrified or fearful that they would die in the accident?
- Does the patient report nightmares, flashbacks, or other intrusive reexperiencing of the accident?
- Does the patient seek to avoid thoughts or reminders of the accident?
- Has the patient been exposed to psychological trauma or been diagnosed with PTSD in the past?