PTSD by accident

[PTSD 1977]

My trauma occured when I was 16 and was involved in a fatal car accident. I have lived with so much guilt, sorrow, and helplessness for so many years and now recent events has triggered these emotions and I have been diagnosed and am suffering with PTSD as a result.

One of my challenges is that I feel the need for some type of atonement in order to recover from this disease. I, unfortunately, have no idea what this can be at this time.

I was curious if anyone has had a situation that required the need to be atoned in some way and what happened as a result. Or, if anyone is suffering from PTSD as a result of a car accident and would like to share their story.

[kat721]

Were you the driver in the car?
I was a passenger in a car accident.
I've never liked driving since then and over the years I simply stopped driving altogether.
I could drive if I had to.
I just don't do it. I'm not good at it and if I had to, I wouldn't go very far.
Atonement is an interesting term.
I'm not sure I know what you mean by atonement.
I've had situations where I felt responsible or wrong in my choices or course of action.
And for me, to make right my past has been to do right in the present with every opportunity I have.
The past, being done as it is, is just that that.
The past.
Today is what we have to work with and in the now we do our best to......well, just do our best.
I think if we approach anything we might have guilt about with personal integrity then we do make things right day by day.
As for the person who was driving the car that was the wreck that still causes me physical daily pain?
Well, he had problems.
Still has problems.
We don't speak anymore.
Only because he remained self destructive and that kind of behavior isn't good for anyone.
As for the wreck? It's the past. Gone and done.
I live going forward trying to do a bit of good every day.I only think about it in terms of my health and trying to find remedy for my lingering body problems.
And, even with that, I'm doing pretty okay, so really, everythings fine inspite of the event.
kat

My hysterectomy however, was a whole other ball of wax and I think that too fits into the category of post traumatic stress.
I'm still working through that one. It's only been a year and only barely 3 months since I had the last ovary removed. We are still messing with getting the hormone situation straightened out so it's possible that the post traumatic stress thing might just resolve it self when the hormones get balanced.
Odd place the mind.



[This message has been edited by kat721 (edited 04-01-2003).]

[LoveBug]

I've had situations where I felt responsible or wrong in my choices or course of action.
And for me, to make right my past has been to do right in the present with every opportunity I have.
The past, being done as it is, is just that that.
The past.


you are absolutely right