A car accident can happen suddenly and leave you with physical injuries that make it difficult to get back to your normal daily life. These injuries may prohibit you from going back to work, taking care of responsibilities at home and participating in activities you used to enjoy.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020, approximately 2.1 million emergency room visits occurred for car accident injuries. Although you should work on recovering physically from the accident, you should also take steps to cope emotionally.
Talk about the experience
Even though it may be difficult to talk about the accident and what happened, talking to others about your experience can help. Consider working through your emotions by talking to a mental health professional or a close friend or family member.
Take time off
Do not try and return to your normal life quickly. Instead, go back to your normal daily activities gradually. Give yourself permission to rest, so that you can heal emotionally and physically following the accident.
Care for your physical health
The way you feel physically can impact your mental and emotional health. If possible and with the permission of your doctor, try to exercise after the accident. You should also commit to getting enough sleep, eating a nutritious diet and reducing your reliance on alcohol and other controlled substances.
It can take time to make a full recovery from a car accident. Be patient with yourself during this process and remember that moving forward from a motor vehicle collision will happen gradually and not overnight.