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Member
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: England, GB
Posts: 194
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: England, GB
Posts: 194
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Hi IT,
A lot of comments about driving here. Im thinking more about the fact you are suffering from distorted thoughts. When we have an accident, a place, a smell, something that reminds us of the accident, can trigger a panic attack (fight or flight mode).
This is completely natural. The thoughts and feelings you are experiencing are totally to be expected.
Accept it. Accept the fact you have changed.
What you do about the change is up to you, but you are different now and will never be the same again.
From tomorrow you have the choice of wether you drive or not.
If you do decide to drive tomorrow and you become anxious - allow yourself to feel the panic. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU PRACTICE THIS ON A QUIET ROAD. When the panic happens pull over, it will not kill you because it is a feeling.
Then in the safe environment of your parked car, let the anxiety come over you and feel it pass. It will pass because it is a feeling triggered by a surge of chemicals. Then drive some more. Eventually your fight or flight feeling will change. Your body will not respond the same way to driving anymore because new synapses in your brain will form telling you that driving is safe.
If however you are suffering flashbacks, heart palpitations to the point where you are in pain, shaking etc you may do well to seek help from a mental health professional who can assess you for PTSD.
Good luck. It must be your decision, don't let anyone tell you what you must do or not do.
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I am a 36 yr old female who has played football, as a hobby, for 13 yrs. In July 2012, during a game I was slammed to the floor by two angry guys who hit into me so hard that one of them broke their ribs.
This knocked me back onto hard ground leaving me unconscious. I awoke to chronic head and neck pain, sickness and the inability to see or balance.
The paramedics made me walk to the ambulance, instead of placing me on a spinal board, where I was taken to the ER. I was hospitalised with suspected brain hemorrhage for 1 week, then on complete bed rest for 1 month, in a wheelchair for 2 months.
I have been left with PCS, moderate constant head pain, little short term memory, no memory of the accident, balance and sight problems, depression and exhaustion.
The worst problem is collapsing regularly. This has finally been diagnosed as Hemiplegic Migraines , these cause my brain to regularly shut down when I am tired and I then feel the full effects of a stroke (without the bleed on the brain!!) of which the symptoms last 2-4 days.
I have had 6 CT's, 2 MRI's and am under 3 specialists.
I believe everyday is one more towards improvement. Mainly I believe in the power of acceptance not the weakness of complacency or resignation.
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