Dawn Angel Averitt

WHAT HAPPENS IN A CAR CRASH?​

You’re not crazy and you’re not alone!

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You are having a very normal response to a very abnormal situation. Our bodies weren’t meant to experience high-velocity accidents. When we do, our physical, psychological, spiritual, emotional selves simply don’t have a good way of dealing with it and so there is a predictable set of symptoms that emerge.​

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A simple definition of trauma is: Too much, too fast, too soon. We don’t have time to respond to protect ourselves. All of our alert systems light up when an accident happens and sends the necessary energy to our body to protect ourselves. When we cannot complete those protective responses, all that energy gets “stuck” in the body, This creates a disruption in the nervous system and makes it more difficult to do everyday activities, which then brings about symptoms. It’s important to bring your nervous system back into a more regulated state in order to feel better. There are things you can do for yourself to help minimize the intensity of your symptoms. We have offered a list of symptoms and some simple tips to help guide your nervous system to become more regulated. These are a starting point, but it is always a good idea to seek out the help of someone specially trained in this area for guidance.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A CAR CRASH?

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You may or may not feel any combination of these common car crash symptoms right away:

• Nervousness

• Feeling violated or unsafe

• Sadness

• impulsivity/Irritability

• Disrupted Sleep Patterns

• Extreme Emotional Shifts

• Exhaustion/Fatigue

• Overcautiousness

• Startling Easily

• Feeling Confused or Overwhelmed

• Not feeling like yourself

• Generalized Fear/”All drivers are unsafe”

• Sudden Fear for no apparent reason

• Dizziness/Lightheadedness

• Shakiness

• Nightmares

• Lack of Concentration 

• Recurring Thoughts

• Flashbacks