If your family is ever involved in a car crash, expect them to feel a wide range of emotions, from guilt and anger through to fear and worry. It’s perfectly normal to feel difficult emotions and trauma, and you’re not all going to react the same. Knowing what to expect and where to go for help will help the recovery process for all members of your family.
A Car Crash is an Emotional Event
Car crashes tend to happen unexpectedly which means you’re going to feel unprepared for it or powerless to stop it. Looking at it that way means the emotional effects of the crash make more sense. When you’ve dealt with getting the car repaired, your injuries have healed, and the insurance companies have been dealt with you can all get on with the healing process.
If your injuries aren’t getting better or you’ve been left with permanent damage, you might need to consider making an insurance claim with The Compensation Experts. Seeking them out if you need some advice could prove useful in your recovery. If you’re struggling to recover emotionally, it’s important to get professional help.
Emotions and How to Deal with Them
- Shock and Denial – these are the most common emotions people experience for several days after an accident. Shock tends to feel different for everyone, but it can include feeling numb, being in emotional distress and feeling afraid. These emotions tend to fade as time passes. If you’ve got family members, who are struggling then encourage them to talk about the crash.
- Anger and Irritability – it’s common to take your anger out on both drivers involved in the accident. A helpful way to deal with this type of feeling is by learning some relaxation breathing exercises as these can help calm you down when you’re starting to feel agitated. If you’ve got teenagers in the family, they might not want to talk to you about the accident so encourage them to turn to their friends.
- Guilt and Self-Blame – it’s easy to beat yourself up, especially if you think the crash was avoidable. Even witnesses can feel guilty because they were unable to prevent the accident or provide adequate first-aid. Remember that accidents can and do happen and there’s often nothing you can do about them.
- Worry and Fear – these are both natural reactions to a stressful occurrence and for most people recovery happens with time. One of the easiest ways to help family members fight worries and fears is to encourage them to talk about it with people they trust. It could be family, friends, or professional counsellor. It also helps if you try to get back to the normal routine as soon as possible.
It’s very important for the family to get back in the car as soon as possible after an accident. Feeling anxious about driving or being a passenger are perfectly normal, but these emotions and fears have to be faced. Getting back in a car is helpful when it comes to conquering anxiety, but don’t expect to get over it straight away.
This is a collaboration post