After a car accident, changes in sleep, mood, concentration, or confidence while driving deserve attention alongside physical injuries. Tell your treating physician about these concerns and how they affect your daily activities.
Describe what has changed
Write down when symptoms began and examples of activities that have become difficult. You might notice unwanted memories, distress around reminders of the collision, irritability, or feeling disconnected from others. These experiences do not automatically establish a PTSD diagnosis.
Seek an individual evaluation
A clinician can assess your symptoms and determine whether mental health referral is appropriate. You do not need to wait for symptoms to meet PTSD diagnostic criteria to ask for help. Read our PTSD and emotional recovery guide for more information.
Keep your care team informed
At Florida Injury Centers, physician-led injury follow-up provides an opportunity to discuss emotional concerns alongside pain, sleep, medications, and your recovery plan. Share changes at follow-up visits so your physician can consider the need for additional evaluation or referral.
Call 866-402-4250 to discuss injury care. For a mental health crisis or thoughts of suicide, call or text 988. Call 911 for a life-threatening emergency.
Florida Injury Centers — Florida’s Medical Home for Injury Care.
Patient education: National Institute of Mental Health: PTSD.