traumatic events and triggers...

I was coming back from a neighboring town tonight (live in a rural area) and drove by an accident scene on the highway. At the time, there were three cop cars there. I heard the accident scene was only about an hour-old at that time. This usually wouldn't bother me, but I went thru a bad car crash four and a half months ago!!

And the similarities were enough to make my heart almost stop!!!!! This one looked eerily similar to my car crash, as the vehicle in the ditch had a smashed in back-end like mine did! And it was less than two miles from my car crash location - on the same highway! I couldn’t see too much as it was dark and had been for about two hours.

I haven’t talked much about the ‘trauma’ side of my car crash, mainly just all the injuries I had / have from it. But that first week or two was extremely rough because it seemed like every time I closed my eyes, I could see myself back in my car! (and I’m a ‘visual’ person - I ‘see’ images or pictures in my head like a movie) A little info on my car crash - I was not moving cuz I didn’t want to make any head/neck/back injuries worse; so I couldn’t look around to see what was happening; they had to use the jaws to pry my door open just to get me out; and I was taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital, where I spent almost four hours in the ER.

So I could ‘envision’ being back in my car, seeing the dash in front of me and my shoe on the floor (it was knocked off by the force of the impact). When I close my eyes, I can still see that!!

And now having driven by this similar accident scene tonight… I’m nervous that all that is gonna happen again. I don’t want to call them nightmares, but it may be a really challenging night for me tonight!! I was rear-ended by some idiot not paying attention. And even now at four and a half months later, I still somewhat freak-out (almost panic) when cars are behind me! My heart almost stops and many times, I pull off into the right-turn lane just so they can go around me, and then I drive straight (do not turn) and continue on my way. And tonight will only make that worse.

how the he** do people get thru sh** like this???

_______________________________________________________________

reply: Car Accident? 02-08-2016, 11:39 PM
________________________________________
it's a scary feeling, one that's tough to get rid of. I was just in a bad car crash four months ago. some distracted idiot rear-ended me going 60mph when I was stopped (claims he never saw me)! I had/have lots of injuries, head to toe. I was driving again a few days later, but the fear is still there. For me, there is no logic to this car crash accident that I can rap my head around - the weather was fine and roads were dry - just can't figure out why it happened. So even now, the fear I feel when a car is behind me is almost overwhelming at times, like my heart stops! I almost freak out, hoping and praying that they see me. I've even pulled off into a right-hand turn lane, just so the vehicle could go around me instead of following me. I have no idea if I will ever get over this fear... (and I've been driving for almost seventeen years now)

I was in a roll over accident, as a passenger almost 20 years ago. I still see some of the images like its a video playing in my head. The windshield cracking like a spiderweb from the center outward and the sound it made is one of the most vibrant images, for some reason.

To this day I drive very carefully, always leaving a ton of space between me and the car in front. Occasionally on non-slippery roads I triple tap my brakes to warn off tailgaters, light enough to not engage the brakes, just flash the lights. If that doesn't work, I gradually slow my pace till the either pass or back off. In a snowstorm, I will pull over for them.

Sadly, I don't think these things just go away. You just learn to cope with them. You are only a few months from your trauma, so it's still very fresh.

Can you see a therapist? Also, perhaps at night, try diaphragmatic breathing and progressive relaxation, focusing strictly on your body, right then. See if that helps you relax.

In the morning, if you have nightmares, try writing it out maybe. And as you do, imagine that you are cleansing yourself of that nightmare, getting rid of it, letting it out.

Then try to bring yourself back to the present. What are you going to do today? Focus on that as much as you can.

Again, I haven't figured out how to completely exorcize my "demons" but getting through the day to day is getting easier. I just keep telling myself that ALL that matters is now.

ive never been in a car accident but worked in a trauma unit for 10 years. Heard so many people say the same thing you are. Flashbacks seem to be the norm for people even in the most minor accidents, let alone something much worse. I'm so sorry your going through this. Id try and keep yourself focused on the present. Deep breathing, and recognize that you realize what is happening during this time with the people involved in their accident.

remind yourself you are here and now and safe - nightmares....sigh....they come and go with the triggers...just remind yourself you are safe and that it is not here and now and if triggered distract yourself - at night I will play games on my phone til I can let the nightmare go - or come here and read ..talk...hide lol sometimes its good to be here but not here..

take care

P7

thanks. things have gotten somewhat better. driving still is challenging from time to time. I guess right now, I just have to remind myself that just because one car hit me, doesn't mean that all of them will! and just cuz some idiot wasn't paying attention and rear-ended me, doesn't mean that every car behind me has a distracted driver and will hit me!

it's a work in progress, as most of the time the fear is still too high and it takes over. and of course, still suffering from the crash injuries doesn't help either! long-term injuries and pain may prove to make all of this harder in the long run...

Car accident is just one of my traumas and actually not as bad as my adolescence combined with the first years after my divorce .

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

there's about an eight mile stretch of highway that really really scares me. it is were both accidents happened, my car crash and the one I drove by that was eerily similar to mine.

I saw my therapist person about three or so weeks ago to get evaluated for PTSD. and he said that I had the characteristics but not full-fledged. cuz I don't have any physical symptoms, or physiological symptoms I think he called them. and I seem to do okay with driving, as long as there aren't vehicles behind me.

so the other day, something interesting happened. I was driving on that stretch of road I just mentioned above. and I was trying to figure out what I was going to do cuz I was getting closer to my turn and a vehicle was pretty close behind me. so I slowed way down so they could go around me like a mile or two before my turn - which they did.

but as I got closer to my turn, I got this pain in the front part of my one shoulder, like right by the collier-bone. and let's face it, I know I still have a bunch of injuries and pains from the crash, believe me I do. but this, this was new. I think like ten to fifteen minutes later it was gone. and hasn't been back since.

does this mean I'm not as okay with my trauma as I maybe thought I was??

(I'm just asking you guys cuz my t-guy is gone for the next month doing training for the military, so I can't reach him.)