Depression after car accident?

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jboccio90
jboccio90 Posts: 644 Member
in Motivation and Support
First this is my first post ever. I dont know where its suppose to go, so my apologies if its wrong.

My question is if anyone has been in a car accident and then had depression after it?

I was in an accident on Thursday. My baby's father didn't want to run the red light and stopped quickly, the truck behind us was at least 2 car lengths but rear ended us. So they must have been trying to run the light because we were slightly over the lines and were hit with a lot of force.
The car is totaled. My 22 month daughter was in the back seat! The back window shattered and glass fell all over her. PRAISE THE LORD she was not hurt, not even a scratch! As silly as it sounds, if not for her stroller that was in the trunk she could of been injured or worse! The trunk was BENT around the stroller and was only push in as far as the stroller went. The stroller isn't even dented! ((thank you Graco))

Due to my Baby's fathers poor judgement at the time, its more complicated. It did resolve in the end though.

Now having to deal with insurance companies, and I am concerned that guys insurance company wont pay.. I have his insurance companies claim adjuster that I am trying to make an appt with to access car damage. So that must be good, right?
I really don't know how it works, never been in accident before.

Not to mention we JUST registered the car on monday!!!!

Anyway, because of this stress I havent been able to sleep. I have barely eaten and if it wasn't for the fact my daughter needs me I would be in bed.
I try not to think about the what ifs, like what if we hadn't tighten by daughters carseat into the car after we left the house that day... and so forth

So back to my question is it normal to feel depressed?

Sorry for venting. :cry:

Replies

  • Leiki
    Leiki Posts: 526 Member
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    My bf's aunt was hit by a car several years ago, resulting in facial scars and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) which is a type of depression. As a result, she had to leave work, she could never learn to drive, because it scared her, and she needed reconstructive surgery. So in short, yes, you can develop depression or other disorders as a result of a car accident.
  • BeeSunny
    BeeSunny Posts: 172 Member
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    Thank you for sharing, yes been there done that and got help for depression!!! It is very natural to be depressed after any event!! My advice to you is to go to your doctor and explain what you said on here. The dr should help you find a medication or support that will help you feel like you agin! Good luck dear!!
  • chachadiva150
    chachadiva150 Posts: 482 Member
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    You've been through a traumatic event. It's only been a few days. Having lingering feelings of depression is natural.

    Give yourself time to recompress. While you're taking care of your daughter, don't forget to take care of yourself. Eat and try to get some sleep. If you need to, ask a good friend to take your daughter for a few hours so you can have some alone time.

    ((HUGS))
  • tabulator32
    tabulator32 Posts: 701 Member
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    Sure. If you weren't concerned for yourself and your loved ones, you wouldn't be human.

    Just remember to take a deep breath and remind yourself that the life-threatening part is over. Don't let the fear or worry consume you.

    The baby is awesome and the stroller survived unscathed and everyone else is alright. You can always get another car.

    Just take one day a time and take care of any resultant issues as they arise. Everyone will probably be sore for a day or two from the impact. Keep some pain reliever handy...aspirin, advil, tylenol...whatever suits you.

    My small pickup truck was hit head-on and totaled by a utility truck on Christmas Eve about twenty years ago and I ended up spending the holidays in the hospital and having a steel bar surgically implanted in my arm to set the shattered bone. I can still feel the head of the set screws through my skin if I find the right spots. The doctor said I was luck to have survived.

    I was miserable for a little while but my life resumed regardless and I just continued on. I don't even think about it today. People ask about the scar on my arm once in a blue moon and I say "Oh, yeah! i forgot about that."

    And that was not my only car accident. I have been in about half a dozen car accidents (five of them were not my fault) and two of them were being rear-ended by people just not paying attention to the car in front of them, just like yours.

    In the immortal and frequently borrowed words of King Solomon, Ella Fitzgerald and Abraham Lincoln...This too shall pass.

    Take care, carry on and keep the momentum!
  • jboccio90
    jboccio90 Posts: 644 Member
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    Thank you guys for the kind words, I appreciate it more then you can know.
    Its always nice to know I am not the only one that has been through this and that is normal.
  • Snuggles5
    Snuggles5 Posts: 28 Member
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    Always remember God has u n your family give God
    Your burdens and thank him everyday for saving
    Your family give him praises everyday it could
    Been worst but he made u all be safe 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
  • howy0420
    howy0420 Posts: 12
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    I don't know about depression..but I do know that the shock (and perhaps some pain and/or discomfort) will keep u up for the first few nights..
    At least that's what happened when i was hit by a car(making a left turn) as a pedestrian.
    I think the most important thing though..like a couple of people have stated..is to adjust ur mindset.
    You WERE in some danger..but not anymore!! :D
  • Jade17694
    Jade17694 Posts: 584 Member
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    I was in a car accident when i was 11...not sure if i had depression afterwards so i can't answer your question; just wanted to say sorry and im glad everyone is ok :)
  • Emancipated_Tai
    Emancipated_Tai Posts: 756 Member
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    First and foremost, THANK GOD YOU ALL ARE OK!! I was just in a car accident 3/16 & I can defiantly understand what you are saying. My light was green driving straight, and the person opposite side of the street was trying to hurry up and turn left but didn’t clear and we T-boned. I am still a little nervous about driving. I haven't been to the area where it happened since because I don't want to relive the moment.

    I don’t think it’s depression, I think it’s more so you being overwhelmed. I myself am tired of calls from the hospital, lawyers and insurance companies. It just has become so much! The brighter side is things will get better. Talk to your family and friends (this post is good to) so you have an outlet to express your concerns. Don’t let everything that is going on overwhelm you. I found that going back to the gym was a way to help me through it.

    Pray all the best!
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    Yes it is,
    My first accident was horrifying. Essentially what happened was I was driving on an icy highway (thank god I was going slower than I normally drive because of the ice) and my front tire exploded from extreme pressure. I went across three lanes of traffic, off the road into a ditch. My car was completely totaled. I walked away with just minor whiplash. The man who was driving behind me said he was so scared that I was going to be splattered across the car, and was amazed that I was ok.

    For months after I was terrified of driving...and I was a commuter student to my college. Slowly but surely I got over my fears, but I was depressed/upset/terrified for months after, and I would flash back to the accident even as a passenger in another car. It got really bad when my friend drove 70MPH "as a joke" since my reaction was apparently funny. But yes, it is normal to feel that way! It takes a long time to process, especially because your child was in the back seat and in harms way. But I'm glad everyone walked away without a scratch :)
  • cassondraragan
    cassondraragan Posts: 233 Member
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    So sorry you were in the accident!! It can be traumatic, but with my child in the back seat, I'd be in serious shock! The idiot behind you is completely to blame. It was a scary situation all around. If your child's father HAD run the red light, you could have been in an accident that would have been fatal for you all. It seems like it was a no-win situation for him. And 99.9% of the time, it would have been safest to stop at the red light. Try to be easy on him because though most guys won't ADMIT to being shaken, he's probably dealing with some post accident issues too. Especially since he was the driver. Just give yourself some time. I couldn't get behind the wheel of a car for a month after my accident.
  • GetFitE
    GetFitE Posts: 247 Member
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    I was in a car accident 2 years ago, breaking my dominant hand--lady ran a red light & I collided into her going thru the intersection. I was pretty depressed about it and was scared to drive. My parents forced me to get behind the wheel and drive to a job interview (needless to say, I didn't get the job cause I drove so slow I was late). I had 2 surgeries on my hand--The downfall for me is because I was in a cast both times, I couldn't workout (which was my remedy for dealing with stress, but didn't want to risk bacteria build up/infection from trapped moisture). I was pretty depressed over it and still even haunts me to this day when I get behind the wheel. I just get in my car and pray every morning for safety behind the wheel...

    Good luck with the insurance companies...Hopefully none of them are Progressive... It's been 2 years and we STILL haven't settled our case... (just bad personal experience)
  • xdaysbingefree
    xdaysbingefree Posts: 98 Member
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    first of all, I'm so glad to hear that everyone was alright. Car accidents are really scary.

    Last year I was in a car accident when someone who was texting cut me off and I hit them. Even though I was not at fault, I was extremely upset (my car was totaled and I don't know what ended up happening with the other car). I kept thinking about how I could have hurt my little brother (he was the passenger) or how the other driver could have been hurt.I kept replaying the moment in my mind and trying to figure out what I could have done differently. I was too scared to drive, and everytime I was a passenger in a car, I would have a panic attack when cars came too close.

    I ended up talking to counselor about it because I couldn't move past it, and she told me that the feelings were perfectly normal. Talking about it to someone definitely helped, so maybe you could try that? If counseling is not for you, just know that your depression is completely normal, and it will take time to move past the accident
  • CaoimheAine
    CaoimheAine Posts: 195
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    Most definitely. My best friend was involved in a horrific car accident a few years ago and has never been the same. Her friend was killed and now suffers from depression and PTSD... :brokenheart: It's so horrible to see her still upset some days after nearly 4 years.

    I think you have just had a shock. In time you will deal. But it is amazing and you should just be thank ful things could have been worse. You are all alive and well :heart: xo

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