can a car accident effect my mental state?

[BoxBoxBox]

I got into a car wreck head on collision last Friday, I am okay, and the visceral fear of it is gone, I am back on the road with a used car, but I feel something is different...

it is like the wreck affected my mind somehow... as soon as it happened, I became totally shocker, when the ambulances came and spoke to me, they remarked that I felt 'distant' and I did, i felt really distant and dazed. I didn't go to the hospital to get checked because I wasn't hurt.

my mind was a certain way 'before' now totally different 'after' ... although I am already diagnosed as bipolar, today I felt like I could have a breakdown for no reason and it seemed deeper than usual, a huge rage for no reason.

people keep saying "dont worry about it, car wrecks happen" but that makes me feel this is something I can 'snap out of'... I am over the actual car wreck, I am back on the road but I feel there's something different in my mind... it is very distant, a little anxious and that rage episode today... Can anyone share some insight on what this means?

 

[daveDerek]

i'd recommend that you get checked out, both physically and mentally. you mentioned that you'd been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. was this by a psychiatrist? are you under treatment? it's not a disorder to ignore. being 'distant' around the time of a literally stunning event is not surprising, but it's unwise not to be followed up by a trained professional.

 

[Homeless]

It can absolutely effect your mental state. I got into a minor accident in September and now when ever I drive through that intersection I get anxious. The intersection in question is a two way stop (I hate those, and there are a lot of them in my neighborhood) I keep thinking someone else is going to run the stop sign and hit me. For what it's worth, I'm not anxious at all when driving anywhere else except there...

 

[jmmtn4aj]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_trauma

Quote:

Intense feelings of anger may surface frequently, sometimes in very inappropriate or unexpected situations, as danger may always seem to be present. Upsetting memories such as images, thoughts, or flashbacks may haunt the person, and nightmares may be frequent. Insomnia may occur as lurking fears and insecurity keep the person vigilant and on the lookout for danger, both day and night.

Quote:

In time, emotional exhaustion may set in, leading to distraction, and clear thinking may be difficult. Emotional detachment, also known as dissociation or "numbing out", can frequently occur. Dissociating from the painful emotion includes numbing all emotion, and the person may seem emotionally flat, preoccupied or distant. The person can become confused in ordinary situations and have memory problems.

Wikipedia ain't a doctor, but it's generally accurate as people check articles like these and update them for accuracy frequently. Hope you get better mate

 

[Xanthos]

Be sure to keep tabs on that and if it doesn't improve tell your doctor. I assume they gave you a battery of tests in the hospital after the accident.

 

[zotjen]

Any traumatic experience can effect your mental state, temporarily or permanently. If you feel that your anxiety is not lessening or it gets worse, by all means get some help (i.e. go see a therapist) and don't feel ashamed to do so.

Edit: If you talk to your personal physician and his response is to prescribe some pills for you, that may not be the best solution. While medication may and can help, since the experience has affected you mentally, this is something you really need to work out by discussing it thoroughly with a trained professional. Just my personal opinion.

 

[craiglester]

You really shhould have gone to the hospital, you could have sustained all manner of injuries that you won't feel, but could cause problems. At least go see your doctor and get a basic check up. Sounds like someone has a little PTSD from the accident. I know I still can't sleep properly since my wife had her Incident, over a year ago.

 

[dirwin]

My sister was involved in a pretty scary accident several years ago (blind, sweeping, up-hill left-hand corner, pickup truck towing a trailer came around on her side, she drove up over an embankment on the outside of the corner, got airborne, and rolled 2 1/4 times before coming to a stop and climbing out of the car). Every time we'd go around any left-hand corner she'd brace against the handle in the passenger's seat and tell the driver to slow down...that lasted for a little under two years after the accident, if I recall correctly.

That's obviously just anecdotal, but an accident (particularly a bad one) can seriously affect your mental approach to similar situations. If you're currently undergoing any sort of counseling or treatment, this would certainly be worth bringing up. I'm no expert on bipolar disorder, but I thought I'd throw in my $0.02...