An Accident(al) Conversation – Trauma Therapy and Personal Injury Recovery
An Accident(al) Conversation
Bill walks up to the passenger door while his breathing and his heart rate increases. He reaches to open the door with a slight tremor in his hand.
“Hi, Bill! Long time no see, pal! Good to see you again.”
“Hi, Paul, ya, same.”
Paul looks at Bill and asks, “Are you okay buddy? You look a little sweaty and nervous?”
“Uh, I’m okay, let’s go.”
Paul gives his friend one more look and then starts driving them to the theatre.
Along the way Bill gets more visibly shaken and nervous, “Paul, watch out! You almost hit that person! Slow down!”
Paul looks over at his friend in surprise, “Uh, okay Bill, I can slow down, but we were really not that close to that car.”
Once parked at the theatre lot, Paul turns to Bill, “What’s going on Bill?”
“Nothing, it’s okay now, let’s go watch the movie.”
“Well, actually I am worried about you. It’s not like you to be like this in a vehicle, and John and Lauren say they haven’t seen you for months either. Is this about that accident you were in four months ago?
Bill sighs, “Yes, it has changed my life. I can’t get into a vehicle without feeling anxious and scared, and the memories keep haunting me. My sleep sucks, and I am in pain. Not only that but it’s hard to concentrate at work, I keep forgetting things, and I am tired all the time. My co-workers have been telling me I am an angry person now, and one asked me why I was still having issues since the accident was so long ago.”
“Man, that is intense to go through! I’m sorry this is happening to you. I read an article about traumatic events a week ago that talked about trauma and how it can stay in nervous system and affect people for years, even. Have you thought about talking to someone to get help?”
“I thought this would just get better and go away on its own by now, but ya, I think I need to do that.”
Bill’s experience is a fairly typical one for people who have been in a car accident. And it is not the size of the car accident, but the impact on the nervous system that matters. People will often have a range of increased body symptoms and emotions (i.e. heart racing, sweating, fatigue, increased fear, travel phobia, anger, anxiety and depressive symptoms, etc.) in a vehicle and out of it, lower patience, concentration, and more forgetfulness. Negative and fear-based thoughts also tend to increase. Along with the physical injuries and dealing with pain and headaches, and maybe a concussion (more symptoms of cognitive delay, light sensitivity, ringing in ears, etc.), people tend to socially isolate, have difficulties with appetite, sleep, and often nightmares.
While more minor experiences can resolve or lesson on their own in time, the bigger the impact the accident (whether vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle, or other) has on the nervous system, the more likely the effects are going to be ongoing for months, if not years, if not treated.
Trauma-based therapy can help client resolve this trauma and related symptoms and often get back to feeling confident and comfortable with driving. Therapy can help to manage and address symptoms while enabling people to move towards increased emotional regulation, improved sleep, and improved pain management. The goal of therapy is to resolve or reduce the trauma and related symptoms stored within the body as much as possible. The majority of clients are able to process and resolve their trauma to the point where the accident feels like a memory rather than a current threat. Their ability to drive and their confidence on the road typically return to a level very close to what it was before the accident.
There are many types of therapy that can help, including EMDR therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and somatic therapy—a gentle, body-based approach to healing. Each of these therapies offers different tools to support recovery, depending on the person’s needs and how trauma is showing up in their life.
Another helpful approach is the Flash Technique, which is based on and used within EMDR therapy. It allows people to process trauma in a gentle way—without needing to talk in detail or even think directly about the accident.
At PsychSolutions, our therapists are skilled and experienced in helping people recover after a car accident or work through other unresolved traumas. Sometimes trauma can come from more obvious events, and other times from smaller experiences that still leave a lasting impact. These symptoms may be ongoing or may surface in response to certain triggers—but with the right support, healing is possible.
To learn more and see how it works, you can watch a video demonstration of the Flash Technique by clicking on the link below and scrolling to the middle of the page: (https://flashtechnique.com/wp/).
References:
Marasini, G., Caleffi, F., Morais Machado, L., Medeiros Pereira, B., (2022). Psychological consequences of motor vehicle accidents: A systematic review. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, Volume 89, (August), Pages 249-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2022.06.017
Burak Yaşar, A., Konuk, E., Kavakçı, O., Uygun, E., Gündoğmuş, I., Taygar, A., Uludağ, E., (2022). A Randomized-Controlled Trial of EMDR Flash Technique on Traumatic Symptoms, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Life of Quality With Individuals Who Have Experienced a Traffic Accidents. Front Psychological, Mar 24 (13). doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.845481
Arroll, M., (2024). Tiny Traumas: When You Don’t Know What’s Wrong, but Nothing Feels Quite Right, HarperOne .