When you are involved in an accident, you can suffer a physical injury. Physical injuries can be complicated, and in many cases, they increase your risk of suffering from another condition. For example, suffering a cut in an accident that causes you to bleed puts you at risk of going into shock from the blood loss.
Your injury can increase your risk of suffering from mental health conditions, too. Many people overlook the mental conditions that can arise following a physical injury, but it is not uncommon to suffer from anxiety or depression after sustaining a physical injury. Because these conditions are directly related to the accidents victims suffer, victims can pursue compensation for damages related to them through personal injury claims.
Do You Feel Nervous, Tense, or Fatigued at the Thought of Anything Related to the Accident?
These are anxiety symptoms. Other anxiety symptoms an individual can face after he or she is injured in an accident include:
- Trembling;
- Gastrointestinal difficulties;
- Sweating;
- Difficulty sleeping; and
- A sense of panic.
In accident victims, anxiety symptoms often arise when the individual is exposed to something related to his or her accident, such as the place where it happened or the activity he or she was doing when the accident occurred, like driving.
When Your Symptoms Interfere With Your Daily Routine
We all get nervous and feel anxious from time to time. The difference between normal anxiousness and anxiety is that anxiety symptoms prevent a sufferer from conducting his or her daily routine. For example, tension and panic at the thought of driving can keep an individual from going to work, socializing with friends and loved ones, and running errands. This can lead to social isolation and financial distress. Self-medicating anxiety symptoms with drugs and alcohol can lead to dependency on these drugs, liver damage, and other negative side effects that accompany drug and alcohol use.
Getting Treatment for Your Anxiety
Anxiety can be treated. Most individuals who suffer from anxiety receive psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy. In psychotherapy, the patient talks about his or her experience and symptoms with a therapist to identify productive coping mechanisms. The patient might also receive cognitive behavioral therapy, which makes it possible for him or her to take back control of his or her life through learning new behaviors and approaches to uncomfortable situations.
Some anxiety sufferers also use medication, such as anti-anxiety or antidepressant medication, to treat their symptoms. These must be prescribed by a physician.
Work With an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer
Through a personal injury claim, you can recover monetary compensation for expenses related to anxiety and other mental health issues that follow a physical injury. To learn more about this option and your rights as an injured victim, contact our team of personal injury lawyers at Moen Sheehan Meyer, Ltd. today to set up your initial consultation with us.