Almost had a car accident, always scared, how do I get over it?

Hi, I'm Jiusi, a listening coach. I hope I can help.

You don't like feeling afraid. It takes a long time to calm down. This fear is causing you trouble, but there's nothing we can do about it.

Don't worry. This is a normal reaction. Your situation meets the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Stress-related traumatic syndrome is also called delayed psychogenic reaction. It is an abnormal mental reaction that is mainly shown in a more serious stress response, like trauma.

It is a long-lasting illness caused by unexpected psychological trauma.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychological imbalance caused by a traumatic event.

Such events include wars, disasters, earthquakes, accidents, torture, car accidents, and robbery.

Everyone who has experienced or witnessed such a traumatic event finds it distressing. It often causes worry, fear, and helplessness. This type of traumatic event is also known as a traumatic adverse event.

Some people can recover from traumatic injuries, but others cannot.

The questioner's situation affects their life and work a little, but not too much. This kind of problem usually needs to be fixed by the person themselves. Read more books about psychology to find out what to do.

See a psychologist to get out of this situation. You'll be happy again.

I hope my answer helps. I hope the questioner finds a solution soon.

Thank you. I'm Jiusi from Yixinli. I love you.

In such a situation, does your anxiety and fear take over your awareness, preventing you from functioning fully? Instead, do your fears and worries dominate your mind, affecting your feelings?

Furthermore, how will you reflect on these challenges? It's akin to saying that you've managed to temper your emotions. What steps did you take, and how did you persevere through them?

It can provide a sense of control and security.

Indeed, your efforts are driven by a desire to feel safe and in control. You may find yourself repeatedly reflecting on the situation, comparing it to previous experiences, and seeking to make adjustments. This is a natural response that helps you navigate challenging circumstances and regain a sense of stability.

Furthermore, it is essential to cultivate awareness and discern between worrisome thoughts, personal fears and anxieties, and objective facts and reality. The ability to differentiate between these elements is crucial for effective decision-making.

Dear questioner,

From your description, it seems that the car accident may have caused you post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that can result from an individual's experience, witnessing, or encountering one or more actual deaths involving themselves or others, or being threatened by death, serious injury, or threats to physical integrity. This is a type of mental disorder that can be caused by trauma and is classified as an anxiety disorder.

This kind of disorder causes you to be highly alert to the possibility of "getting into a car accident" and easily frightened. For example, the questioner always thinks they are going to get hit after crossing the street. When they describe what happened when they crossed the street, they know it was the other person's responsibility, but they still feel scared. This forms a kind of certainty that crossing the street will hit me, even though it didn't actually happen. This kind of re-experiencing the event through memory or nightmares is called a "flashback," and it is quite similar to the flashback technique commonly used in movies.

It might be helpful to consider the following suggestion:

It might be helpful to seek treatment from a professional psychologist and to work closely with the doctor on your treatment plan.

[2] Consider adjusting your perception. When we are anxious, we can view the situation from the perspective of an outsider: Is this really happening?

Could I ask whether you think there is a high probability of this happening? Do you think we should stay at home all the time in case we are hit by a car?

I'm afraid this will not solve the problem. As long as we obey the traffic rules, the chances of being hit are not high. This may be all just in your imagination. What are your thoughts on this?

[3] You might find it helpful to try some meditation exercises on the Yi Xinli platform or read some books, which could help to relieve your anxiety. It's likely that there's always a reason behind any emotion. It's natural to feel afraid after an event, but the degree of fear can vary from person to person. It's important not to scare yourself. Just take some time to calm your mind and adjust your mentality, and I'm sure you'll feel better soon.

It is my sincere hope that the above will prove helpful to the questioner.

Hello!

From your description, I can understand your current distress. I also feel very worried about your daily commute. I'm excited to share some answers that I think will help you!

1. About your experience

Your question mentions "almost having a car accident." Indeed, it is difficult to predict what accidents will happen in life, and the negative impact of this accident has lasted for more than a year. But you've been through it, and you've come out the other side stronger than ever! Even when similar situations arise, such as riding a bike or crossing the road, you've learned to handle them with confidence. When you become more alert to related events, excessive alertness can also increase your psychological burden.

2. About your reaction

Believe it or not, just understanding and understanding your reaction can alleviate your suffering very well! When we perceive the threat of a stressor through cognitive evaluation, it will cause psychological and physiological changes. The good news is that we can take control of this by first understanding that this is a normal stress response.

3. Cognitive adjustment

When anxiety, tension, fear, and other emotions arise, we have the power to deal with these negative emotions in a positive way! We can do this by practising relaxation or adjusting our perceptions.

It's time to adjust your perception of the experience of "almost having an accident"! Re-experience the frightened self at the time and reassure the nervous and frightened self at that time.

The event has already happened and is in the past. That means you can let go of any feelings you had at the time, whether they were feelings of tension, fear, or self-blame.

Now, we can look at this experience more objectively and see that it was just an accident—and we can learn from it!

Even if a similar situation arises again, we can regain control by adopting a new belief to deal with the psychological pressure caused by past experiences, which will make us feel more relieved. For example, an accident is just an accident. Every event has two sides. There will be good outcomes as well as bad ones. In fact, the chance of an accident occurring in daily life is not high, so there's no need to worry!

When traveling, it's important to focus on the things we can control. We can avoid accidents and keep ourselves safe by taking the right precautions. Once we've done that, we can put the past behind us and focus on having fun!

4. Find a great social support system!

When similar situations arise, you'll be ready to face them head-on! With the support of a trusted person by your side, you'll be able to weather the psychological pressure and come out stronger on the other side.

Thank you so much for your question! I really hope this helps.

It is concerning to observe that your near miss has had a significant impact on your emotional state. Past experiences may have contributed to this persistent sense of unease.

Your apprehension is readily apparent, and it has persisted for an extended period. A year may also have a significant impact on your life. Being struck by a vehicle or narrowly avoiding such an incident is a cause for concern, and you are concerned that your life may end in such a manner.

Your apprehension regarding automobiles is, in fact, an underlying concern about mortality. This sentiment is crucial to address, as it serves as a protective mechanism and enables us to gain a sense of control.

It is possible to live in the present, let go of fear, and recognize that many things can be changed. It is appropriate to express fear. Most people are afraid of car accidents, but it is time to overcome that fear.

It is mutually beneficial when drivers yield to cars, fostering harmony. Similarly, when drivers yield to pedestrians, it contributes to a more civilized society. Courtesy is always a good practice, but it is particularly important to yield to drivers when the traffic light is green. You can indicate your intention to cross first, allowing the driver to wait for you. I recommend that you seek psychological counseling to address your concerns.

Please advise.