Post-traumatic stress

Post-traumatic stress as a personal injury

Post-traumatic stress disorder will result after a person experiences an unsettling or traumatic event. The person may have had their life threatened, or possibly witnessed something terrible happening to another person. When this happens it can seriously alter a person’s ability to process and understand information in a normal everyday environment. A common example would be having a serious fear of leaving the house because a friend or relative was attacked in front of them.

Post-traumatic stress may not be thought of as a typical physical injury, like a broken bone for example. While it may not be an entirely physical injury, it can be just as debilitating.

Post-traumatic stress disorder can last for a long period of time after the trigger event. Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, actively avoiding certain thoughts or the inability to relax. It is possible that there may also be physical symptoms such as headaches, and muscular aching.

Post-traumatic stress rehabilitation

The rehabilitation of post-traumatic stress syndrome involves teaching the sufferer to manage the emotions that the event caused in a healthy and constructive way. This then allows them to gradually move forward with their recovery so that it does not actively affect their everyday lives. There are several types of treatment available. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) seeks to identify the unhealthy and irrational thought processes that a person suffers from after the event, and replace them with more balanced and rational thoughts. Other such therapies include eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing treatment, and family based therapy.

Post-traumatic stress next steps

If you would like to investigate whether you may have a personal injury compensation claim from post-traumatic stress disorder, then please call 0800 035 15 65 or visit our > Contact Us page for further information.