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Have you
suffered a Personal Injury?
or
Have you
experienced a Road Traffic Accident?
A personal injury or road traffic accident can
leave you with all sorts of disturbing and distressing feelings
and memories. Sometimes even many weeks or months afterwards
feelings of fear and panic continue.
Common descriptions given by those who have experienced a road
traffic accident include nightmares, disrupted sleep, flashbacks
of the incident, panic attacks, over vigilance, irritability and
angry outburst as well as loss of concentration and confidence
even in everyday things that once were taken for granted.
 There can also be a sense of not wanting to join in anymore,
withdrawing socially from others including family members.
Symptoms like these can leave you feeling bewildered and
overwhelmed and whilst it is often the case that they clear up
over time for others they can persist and cause problems.
Will I Ever Be
The Person I Once Was?
It's not the case that you don't want to "get back to being
the person you were" or if you experienced a Road Traffic
Accident "don't want to drive again/or be a passenger"
but fear and panic can take over.
Many of the activities in life you once enjoyed and took for
granted can now seem like the equivalent of climbing Mount
Everest!
You may have become overly vigilant, anxious, nervous and
fearful of bad things happening again - for example you may have
developed a fear of specific situations at work or on the road.
If your personal
injury was a result of a Workplace Accident:
You may have been unable to go back to work or return to the job
you used to do. Your confidence may have suffered and you can
feel a real loss of your old identity. You may find it difficult
to "shake off" unhelpful feelings and worry about small things
that you once took in your stride. Your future may not look as
clear as you had once thought and your plans and goals in life
may have changed due to the nature of your injury.
If your injury
was a result of a Road Traffic Accident:
As a passenger you may find yourself clutching the sides of the
car seat, applying the imaginary brake shouting out
"careful!, look out!" – often much to the annoyance of the
person driving you!
You may no longer drive or be driven on motorways - even short
distances may have to be carefully considered, in order to avoid
certain places or reminders that might act as triggers to the
incident.
All of these type of symptoms can be very time consuming or
tiring and often lead to feelings of frustration and
despondency.
 Can I Ever Get
Back To How I Was Before The Accident ?
The answer is YES!
CBT – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a recognized specific
type of counselling often used to help people recover
psychologically from the symptoms described above.
These symptoms are quite common and often found in a condition
that can develop following an accident called post-traumatic
stress disorder.
Not everyone who has been involved in an accident will suffer
from all of the symptoms of this disorder - the effects of
suffering from the symptoms of PTSD can be devastating and
disruptive to everyday life.
CBT is has been found useful in helping restore people to their
former levels of pre-accident confidence and overcoming the fear
and anxiety that has blighted their lives or their driving/
passenger experience.
How Does It Work
And How Many Sessions Of CBT Will I Need?
CBT works on helping you to make the connections between how
thoughts influence feelings and how feelings then influence
behaviours.
Our therapists will provide a safe and confidential space for
you to gain some individual support from a professionally
qualified and experienced counselor. Sometimes close family,
friends and colleagues who have not experienced a personal
injury or Road Traffic Accident are not aware of how the
symptoms can persist - you may feel alone and frustrated at how
long it has been since the incident you have continued to
suffer.
By understanding how the mind responds to specific situations
post accident resulting in avoidance, fear, anxiety or
depression you will learn how to control and overcome
misinterpretations of situations and the over exaggerated sense
of danger that has taken a hold.
At the end of each CBT session your counsellor will work with
you to construct strategies to help you gain confidence in
between the treatment and monitor your progress.
The number of sessions required can vary depending on the
individual – your CBT therapist will advise you of the number of
sessions usually by the end of your first meeting (Assessment
session). |
