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Just Saw an Accident, Feel a Bit Shocked

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Awakening

MyPTSD Pro
I witnessed an accident between trams this morning.
It happened right in front of me as I was stopped at the lights.

There were six of us in our cars that just sat there not moving for what felt like ages but maybe was only a few minutes (cars behind were tooting and over taking as they hadn't seen what we did).

It was the driver that I could see, and it looked bad. Thankfully I'm reading online now that he is alive but with serious injuries along with a few of the passengers.

Part of me is saying I'm fine, don't take on someone elses trauma, nothing happened to you. But another part of me feels a bit shocked, sick, and I feel like a drink.

I'm conscious of the fact that I have PTSD, and stress can aggravate it so hence coming on here.
 
I can just say I understand. Right before I found this forum I had seen a bad accident and saw dead children, did not go over well for me. You are doing good being able to jump right in and say how you feel and get feed back. Major points is he will be OK. It was scary and how you feel we all understand.

Anyone would be shaken and feel like you do. And it is not someone else's trauma so please do not dismiss it, I tried that and it blew up in my face. PTSD can come from witnessing horrible things too, you do not always have to be directly involved.

Try to avoid that drink. Opt for some music, a bath, early bedtime... Can't go back to that. You have us to support you.
 
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I witnessed an accident about a year ago and that is why I found this forum. I am proof that you don't have to be directly involved. I saw a girl and guy crossing a 2 lane street, right after my husband and i crossed, we looked back at them because she was drunk and stumbling, and a car out of nowhere going about 50-60 mph in a 25mph ran them both over she flew about 20 ft in the air and 50ft across, landed on a parked car and fell into the gutter. She died instantly, she was hit so hard that all of her clothes came off. The sound was horrifying, it was at 2:00 am and it was really quite out, the car never even stepped on the breaks. It was gruesome and shocking. I threw up right after I saw it. What is weird with me and why I don't understand is that I know there was nothing I could have done to prevent it and that unfortunate, unfair events happen but it is effecting me even worse now. I get flash backs of the sound and the scene. I get paranoid about leaving letting my kids go anywhere in a car or walking. If I see people drunk walking around, I get a lot of anxiety. Just walking around on streets, I get paranoid. It's getting worse and worse. I have not been back to the city where I saw it and don't care to. I have had other traumatic events happen in my life, so I don't know if it is just a combination of events that gets worse with every other traumatic event you witness. Any thoughts? What I have been told is or read that it is normal to be shocked or unstable after witnessing something traumatic but if it last longer than a few months then you might be having problems dealing with it.
 
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