Therapy Room
Small Car Accident: Moving On... or Not?
People often overlook the negative psychological effects of small motor vehicle accidents. This article talks about the effects of the small accident on the nervous system, what to look out for and how to get help.
Small car accidents can be overlooked by people. When people come to me with unexplained anxiety, sleep disturbances, or persistent depression that started recently, and they cannot pinpoint a particular reason for it, I always ask, “Have you had any car accidents? Even very small ones?”
More often than not, people reply, “Yes, I have.” And then it dawns on them that maybe the accident could have something to do with the recent changes in their sleep, reactions to stress, and overall mood.
Even the smallest accident is usually sudden, unexpected, and painful, even if only a little bit. But we move on because most of us wear seat belts and don’t sustain serious injuries. We have such busy lives that we’re forced to move on. We may not even take a day off work. We just keep going.
So what happens when our system experiences an MVA or other sudden and frightening event? At first, we may not even feel any pain because we’re full of adrenaline. Plus, we have to deal with insurance, a disrupted schedule, and so on. On the day of the accident, we may not notice anything. The next day, we may notice some soreness, but we just get through it, keep going to work, and carry on with our plans. Unfortunately, our lives are so extremely busy these days that it takes a serious illness to slow us down. And so we move on and keep going.
But your nervous system does not necessarily move on so quickly. It continues to be on high alert for a while, possibly for weeks or even months. That can show up as suddenly being jumpy, easily startled, and generally anxious.
We may not connect this to the accident because we have so many other things to worry about. People just notice that their anxiety has gotten worse. It’s more acute. They may attribute it to their life becoming objectively more stressful. It feels as though life has somehow become more stressful, and therefore they’re feeling this way. So they don’t make anything more of it. But the feeling of life becoming more stressful may be the result of the nervous system being on high alert , which causes us to perceive life as more stressful.
The nervous system stays on alert because the memory of the accident stays in the nervous system and in the body. We try to avoid it, move on, keep going, and keep driving. But the memory stays there and heightens our anxiety. It’s unprocessed, and it starts interfering with our life today.
Driving becomes more stressful. Some people realize it, especially if they often have to pass by the site of the accident. They notice that they tense up. Others may not even realize it. They just suddenly feel exhausted after driving and notice muscle tension that does not go away.
What you may be overlooking. It is worth looking into the psychological side of things, even if you don't consciously think about the accident, when you experience the following symptoms after a small MVA:
- Headaches
- Back pain
- Feeling more tired than usual
- Irritability that "comes out of nowhere"
- Declining social invitations, especially the ones that require driving
- Sleep disturbances
- Feeling jumpy or easily startled
What can be done.
Thankfully, we have ICBC coverage that covers 12 sessions right off the bat, regardless of who is responsible for the accident. There are ways to intervene promptly and quite effectively through memory-based counselling therapy.
Counselling can help process the memory of the MVA and reduce the fear associated with it. Again, you may not consciously feel any fear, but your body may feel it. The sooner this memory gets reconsolidated, the quicker the path to healing opens up. When we deal with the fear connected to that memory, we start noticing things. We may even notice the pain more, which can prompt us to seek help to see a chiropractor, get a massage, and help our muscles heal.
The anxiety can be uncovered, expressed, and worked through. It becomes less painful and less mysterious, because what really makes our feelings difficult is that we try to hide them and try not to feel them. But when a feeling is uncovered and worked through, it has a good chance of just melting away.
You can look at Trauma and Recovery to learn more about the short-term, memory-based intervention I offer for events like these. These could be small accidents or other seemingly small events that may be contributing to your overall levels of stress.
Until next time.
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Every person and every situation is unique. If you'd like to discuss how these ideas apply to your own situation, book a free consultation to explore next steps.