Healing Driving Anxiety and Emotional Trauma from Motor Vehicle Accidents: How EMDR, ART, and SE Therapy Can Help
Being in a severe car accident can be a traumatic experience for most people. Even after physical wounds have healed, the trauma from car accidents can persist for a long time. These emotional scars can be as painful as physical injuries. You may still feel the shock, fear, and helplessness experienced during the accident. Anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks, grief, and feelings of disconnection can impact your daily life long after the accident, affecting your mental and emotional well-being.
Our counsellors at Williamson & Associates in Olds, Alberta, who specialize in trauma therapy, help clients move forward from these difficult experiences. We offer practical, evidence-based treatments designed to process trauma, ease distressing symptoms, and restore a sense of peace. Keep reading to discover how EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy), and SE (Somatic Experiencing) can help you reclaim your life and well-being.
What Is Trauma After a Motor Vehicle Accident?
Perhaps you were behind the wheel, lost a loved one in a car accident, or witnessed severe injuries firsthand. Car accident trauma can manifest in various ways. For some, it may involve persistent feelings of fear, helplessness, or numbness. You may constantly feel on the edge and not be able to focus on anything else but that traumatic car accident. An overwhelming sense of hopelessness makes you feel disconnected, as if the accident has made a deep void in your life.
Driving Anxiety and Fear After a Motor Vehicle Accident
Post-accident, driving or even being a passenger can induce extreme anxiety and fear. You may experience distressing flashbacks every time you're in a car or any form of transportation, including flying. The thought of boarding a plane might trigger intense fear, causing your heart to pound, your body to tremble, and a strong urge to escape—even though you know you're safe now. This is a common response to trauma, but it makes it challenging to resume daily activities and independence.
PTSD After a Motor Vehicle Accident
Car accidents can sometimes lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). You might experience various PTSD symptoms, such as:
Re-experiencing Symptoms
Some people have flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, nightmares, and intense emotional or physical reactions to reminders of the accident.
Reactivity Symptoms
You may become easily startled and be on constant alert, feeling tense, and have difficulty concentrating.
Avoidance Symptoms
You may avoid places, people, or activities that remind you of the accident.
Dissociation
Some people start feeling numb and disconnected from themselves and reality.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) After a Motor Vehicle Accident
Car accidents sometimes result in traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can have profound and long-lasting emotional and psychological consequences. TBI can cause memory issues, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and mood swings, intensifying the emotional aftermath of the accident.
Mental Health and Psychological Symptoms After a Motor Vehicle Accident
Common mental health symptoms following a car accident include:
Acute stress reaction
Some individuals experience intense anxiety, confusion, emotional numbness, and a sense of detachment in the immediate aftermath.
Major depressive disorder
Pay attention to persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities, fatigue, and difficulty functioning.
Anxiety disorder
You may worry excessively, have racing thoughts, or experience panic attacks.
Grief
If the accident involved the loss of a loved one, you might experience profound grief, often accompanied by guilt or regret.
Moral injury/survivor's guilt
Many survivors have feelings of guilt for surviving or believing they should have done something differently during or before the accident.
Coping After a Motor Vehicle Accident: What Can I Do Right Now?
After an accident, taking steps to care for your emotional health is essential. Here are some immediate coping strategies:
Practice Grounding Techniques
Use mindfulness and deep breathing to focus on the present and relieve stress.
Stay Connected
Talk to trusted friends or family members about how you’re feeling.
Limit Triggers
Avoid activities, images, or places that exacerbate your anxiety or distress in the early stages of recovery.
When Is It Time to Get Help?
If you find that your symptoms are persistent, worsening, or significantly impacting your daily life, it might be time to seek professional support. Symptoms like intrusive thoughts, overwhelming anxiety, depression, or severe driving fear are signs that therapy could help you navigate your healing process.
Can Driving Anxiety, Trauma, and PTSD Be Cured After a Motor Vehicle Accident?
Yes, with the right treatment, driving anxiety, trauma, and PTSD can be managed and often alleviated. Here’s how our therapies can support your recovery:
EMDR Therapy for Motor Vehicle Accident Trauma
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing helps reframe and reduce the emotional impact of traumatic memories. During therapy, specific eye movements assist in reorganizing and neutralizing distressing memories. Over time, the memories lose their emotional grip, and you may experience improved focus, sleep, and connections with others.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) for Motor Vehicle Accident Trauma
Accelerated Resolution Therapy uses rapid eye movements and memory imagery to reprogram how traumatic memories are stored in the brain. Unlike traditional talk therapy, ART does not require discussing every detail of the accident, providing quick relief in a non-invasive way.
Somatic Experiencing (SE) for Motor Vehicle AccidentTrauma
Somatic Experiencing focuses on releasing the body's trauma responses by tuning into physical sensations. Gradually, it helps release pent-up energy, reset the nervous system, and improve emotional regulation without directly revisiting the accident.
Driving Anxiety and Trauma Therapy for Motor Vehicle Accidents in Olds, Alberta
Healing after a car accident goes far beyond just recovering from physical injuries. While broken bones and bruises may heal over time, the emotional and psychological impact can linger, often feeling just as painful as the physical wounds. Healing emotional trauma from a car accident involves addressing these emotional wounds, allowing you to process the trauma, reclaim your sense of safety, and reconnect with yourself and others. But you don't have to navigate this journey alone.
At Williamson & Associates in Olds, Alberta, our compassionate therapists are here to guide you through evidence-based treatments like EMDR, ART, and SE, helping you process trauma and heal. Our therapy sessions are available in-person at our Olds, Alberta location and online across the province, allowing you to choose the most comfortable option for your healing journey.
Take the first step towards improving healing from car accident trauma. Contact us today for a free consultation.
See other posts about Trauma Therapy in Olds, Alberta:
Trauma and the Central Nervous System: Understanding the Body’s Response to Stress
Understanding the Impact of Intergenerational Trauma on Family Dynamics