Being in a car accident can be damaging enough to a person’s psyche, but the problem will become exacerbated if someone else dies as a result of the accident. Regardless of whether or not you were at fault or were a victim of another person’s negligence, it will be difficult to avoid dealing with survivor’s guilt. There are several steps that you can take to help yourself deal with the guilt that you are feeling, though, and it is important that you recognize your personal needs.
Tips for Dealing with Survivor’s Guilt
A lot of doctors will want to put you on an anti-depressant, but this is not actually necessary for a lot of people. Instead, you can utilize the following tips to deal with your guilt without putting any harsh medications into your body.
1) Art Therapy The odds are high that you are going to have a lot of emotions that you need to cleanse yourself of before you can begin to feel calm. Although traditional therapy is a very viable option, it is also a good idea to explore art therapy because it will let you express your emotions in a more concrete way. By using art to explore what happened during the crash, you can learn to move forward without feeling guilty for being alive.
2) Yoga The usage of yoga and meditation to enter a more calm and centered state of being has been popular in different cultures for thousands of years, and this proves that it actually works. Therefore, you should definitely consider grabbing a yoga mat and heading to the closest yoga class facility. Be aware, though, that this kind of meditation often stimulates emotional responses in people. It is not uncommon at all for someone to have a cathartic breakthrough while they are in a yoga pose, and this can actually be the perfect way for you to gain closure by letting your feelings out.
3) Low Impact Exercise It is not a good idea to throw yourself into a rigorous workout routine to try to lose yourself in something other than your guilt, but a low impact routine can help you relieve your body of toxic negative emotions. Keep in mind that your body does have limits, and you should respect them when you first start exercising so that you do not injure yourself. By sticking to a low impact routine at first, you can let out the negative emotions while also improving your physical health.
How to Deal With the Bills
Whether you ask a California attorney or a Virginia accident lawyer — even if you don’t think you are seriously hurt — they will caution that you still need to get your injuries taken care of. In some instances, your insurance will not automatically cover all of your medical bills. If this happens, you will need an attorney to represent your case. Although it can sometimes be emotionally difficult for people who have survived a fatal car crash to take legal action against the responsible party, you need to remember that your health and safety is also important.
Make sure that you gather as much evidence as possible to showcase the cause of the accident and what type of injuries you have, and take comfort in knowing that there have definitely been thousands of other legal cases before you involving an individual who was injured during a fatal car crash.
Ann Bailey, former news journalist, prepares these suggestions for fatality accident survivors. The Virginia accident lawyer group of Price Benowitz, LLP works conscientiously to assist all clients of auto accidents injured at the hands of other parties to receive fair compensation for their medical and emotional needs.
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