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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Post Accident

In the 25 plus years that Dr Mollins has been treating patients injured in various types of accidents (car accidents, work accidents, slip and falls, and construction accidents), there is a common thread that exists with the majority of these accident victims. Besides the apparent physical ailments that present themselves, most accident patients are extremely mentally distressed. Patient’s lives have been completely turned around due to their accident. Injured patients often are unable to work due to the severity of their injuries. This can cause financial problems for that patient which can also affect their entire family. Many patients injured in accidents have difficulty with relationships with their friends, family, and spouse. Patients hurt in accidents may have difficulty sleeping and may actually be afraid to even walk outside. It is very possible that some of these patients may be suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety problem. It can develop after your safety or life has been threatened, or after you experience or see a traumatic event. Some examples of traumatic events are an automobile accident, work accident, slip and fall, or a construction accident. Usually the event makes you feel very afraid or helpless. People with PTSD have trouble coping and recovering from a traumatic event and often feel the effects for months or even years afterwards.

If you have been in an accident, you might have experienced many different feelings at the time of the accident and in the days following it. Some of these feelings might have included the following:

  • Shock
  • Trouble believing it really happened
  • Anger
  • Nervousness or worry
  • Fear or uneasiness
  • Guilt

In addition, you might keep going over the accident in your mind. You might think that you can’t stop thinking about it.

posttraumaticstressFor most people involved in an accident, overwhelming feelings about it go away over time. However, sometimes, those feelings don’t go away or they become stronger, changing the way you think and act. Strong feelings that stay with a person for a long time and start to get in the way of everyday life are signs of post-traumatic stress. If you have PTSD you may have some of the following problems:

  • An ongoing feeling of uneasiness
  • Problems driving or riding in vehicles
  • Not wanting to have medical tests or procedures done
  • Irritability or excessive worry or anger
  • Nightmares or trouble sleeping
  • A feeling that you are not connected to other events or people
  • Ongoing memories of the accident that you can’t stop or control

When Dr. Mollins performs his initial physical examination and history on patients injured in accidents, he is very aware that many of these patients aside from suffering from extensive physical ailments may also have emotional issues as well. If Dr. Mollins suspects that any injured patients are suffering from PTSD, he will immediately refer these patients out. Fortunately, Dr. Mollins works very closely with referred medical specialists (specifically neurologists, psychologists, and psychiatrists) who are highly skilled in the diagnosis, treatment, and documentation of PTSD. All referred doctors are workers compensation certified, so that if the injury sustained is due to an accident at work, our patient can be treated at no cost and if unable to work, can be compensated for lost wages until he or she is physically able to return to work. All referred specialists will also accept no fault insurance so if the injury sustained is a result of a car accident, there is no out of pocket expense for the patient as well.

Dr. Mollins will not only help you with the physical disabilities associated with injuries that are sustained as a result of an accident but also the emotional issues as well.

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