Fear of Driving Following a Crash

I’m Katelyn Holub, an attorney focusing on personal injury law in northwest Indiana.

Welcome to Personal Injury Primer, where we break down the law into simple terms, provide legal tips, and discuss personal injury law topics.

Not surprisingly we often encounter persons who may be experiencing symptoms of crash-related post-traumatic stress disorder.

PTSD requires a medical diagnosis. Not all driving-related anxiety following a crash will lead to a PTSD diagnosis.

Nevertheless, driving anxiety that develops following a crash can have a significant impact on life. Everyday activities that require driving (going to work, stores, visiting family) can become extremely difficult. Driving anxiety in and of itself can constitute a significant injury.

Such anxiety may lead a person to decline social invites and cause the person to self-isolate.

A person suffering from PTSD may engage in avoidance behaviors as a result of experiencing an excessive fear reaction.

The part of the nervous system called the amygdala (a small part of the brain that processes emotions) controls emotions such as fear.

When encountering a trigger, the amygdala may overreact and cause intense fear, even when there is no actual threat.

The following symptoms are commonly associated with PTSD: panic attacks, chest pain, racing heart, nausea, sweating,          trembling, flashbacks, fear of losing control, and fear of getting injured again.

Doctors have many methods for treating PTSD. These methods include:

• eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy
• psychotherapy treatment
• stellate ganglion block (to reset an overactive sympathetic nervous system to its baseline).

I hope you found this information helpful. If you are a victim of someone’s carelessness, substandard medical care, product defect, work injury, or another personal injury, please call (219) 736-9700 with your questions. You can also learn more about us by visiting our website at DavidHolubLaw.com – while there, make sure you request a copy of our book “Fighting for Truth.”