Trauma Induced Anxiety

Experiencing a serious injury of any kind is incredibly painful and stressful. As time passes, some of your wounds may heal. Unfortunately, just as some of the physical effects of your injury may remain with you for a long time after the trauma occurred, the psychological impact of your experience may have deep and long-lasting effects.

It is not uncommon for survivors of trauma to develop an anxiety disorder or have panic attacks which persist long after their traumatic experience. Whether you experienced a serious injury yourself or you were in close proximity to someone that you love as they were injured or killed, it is possible that trauma-induced anxiety and/or panic attacks are affecting the quality of your life right now.

Any type of trauma has the potential to cause anxiety and panic attacks. From painful accidents involving cars, trucks, and motorcycles, to the horror of witnessing the death of someone that you love in a fire, explosion, or other tragedy, each traumatic situation has the potential to make troubling changes to the way that you experience everyday life. It is not uncommon for trauma victims to experience anxiety and panic attacks immediately following a traumatic event. For some trauma victims, the feelings subside and they eventually return to feeling “normal”. For others, the anxiety and panic attacks persist and affect many aspects of their day to day lives.

Some of the characteristic indicators of trauma-induced anxiety include an overwhelming need to avoid the activity or location where the trauma occurred, tension, restlessness, panic, irritability, and fear. Physical signs of anxiety and panic include sweating, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and dizziness. Survivors of trauma may also experience panic attacks, which are sudden and intense waves of fear which bring about intense physical symptoms, and a feeling that they may be dying or going crazy.

A person who is affected by anxiety or panic attacks following a traumatic event may find that the effects of their emotional injuries reach into every corner of their lives. Finding and keeping a job can be difficult, especially if the trauma occurred at work. Automobile accident victims may develop an intense fear of driving or riding in a car which could interfere with their ability to get to and from work. Parents who suffer from trauma-induced anxiety may find that their symptoms interfere with their ability to care for their children. The ways in which trauma-induced anxiety affects the lives of those who are affected by it can be just as upsetting as the panic and anxiety itself.

If you have been injured or someone that you love has been killed in an accident by intentional wrongdoing, or by negligence, you may pursue a claim for damages. It is important however, that you receive compensation for the full extent of your injuries, both physical and emotional. If anxiety and/or panic attacks have become a part of your life because of the trauma that you experienced, a knowledgeable and experienced personal injury attorney can help you to obtain the recovery that you deserve.

If you have been injured or someone that you love has been killed by a traumatic event such as an accident and you now suffer from anxiety or panic attacks, the personal injury attorneys at Peter Thompson & Associates are here to help you. With offices in Portland, Bangor, and Falmouth, our dedicated team of professionals is easily accessible to clients throughout the state of Maine. Please call us today, at 1 800.804.2004 to schedule your free initial consultation.