A car accident of any kind can be traumatic and each person goes through their own journey towards recovery. Depending on the severity of the injuries and the impact on mental health, some people may experience the effects of the crash a long time after the event.

Whether you were involved in the accident as a driver, a passenger, or a pedestrian, it’s important to seek the care you need and be patient with yourself.

If you were involved in a car crash, you might feel its negative effects even after the physical wounds have healed. You may be experiencing:

• Fear of driving
• Nightmares and restless sleep
• Recurring thoughts about what happened
• A constant sense of impending doom
• A state of shock
• Emotional numbness or the feeling of being disconnected from the rest of the world
• A need to avoid certain people or places that remind you of the accident
• Feelings of guilt
• Moments of anger
• Symptoms of depression

Neurofeedback is a non-invasive intervention that can provide great support after a car crash. Using biofeedback and the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize itself, neurofeedback manages PTSD and helps with brain trauma caused by an injury. This type of support is also an effective tool for reaching mental and emotional balance.

Read on to learn more about how neurofeedback can help your recovery.

Brain Injury Recovery

Before starting any kind of alternative treatment, it’s important to first get diagnosed and treated by a physician for any injuries you might have sustained. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), like concussions, are often experienced in a car crash. Because of the strong impact, the brain hits the inside of the skull which may cause swelling or bleeding. 

Recovery from brain trauma can be a very lengthy process. Although neurofeedback is not a medical treatment, it supports long-term rehabilitation and manages the negative effects of the injuries. 

Our brains are naturally equipped with the capacity to constantly adapt and develop, forming new neural paths as a consequence of change. This ability is called neuroplasticity. 

The brain’s ability to change is valuable for the healing process and it can be induced with the proper stimulation. Neurofeedback creates a suitable environment to trigger neuroplasticity, essentially training the brain to recover on its own. Consistent neurofeedback sessions can restore healthy brain functions, thus helping your recovery from a traumatic brain injury.

Here are some of the symptoms improved through brain training using neurOptimal® neurofeedback:

• Fatigue
• Brain fog
• Anxiety
• Lack of sleep
• Irritability 
• Poor focus and reduced concentration

PTSD Recovery

Experiencing a state of shock, strong feelings of confusion, guilt, or anger are normal after the accident. When these feelings persist for a long time they interfere with everyday life. Since a car crash is a traumatic event, in some cases, post-traumatic stress disorder can occur.

PTSD impacts the quality of life in all its aspects and it should not be ignored. Recurring flashbacks and crippling anxiety might stand in the way of your normal routine. Excessive worrying and depression could stop you from pursuing your dreams and working towards your goals. Triggers are all around us, from people and places to specific smells or sounds. 

Exposure-based therapy is commonly used for post-traumatic stress. With this type of treatment, the patient is exposed to stimuli related to the trauma, in order to confront it. The process can be difficult and consuming, which causes some people to drop out before experiencing results. Neurofeedback reduces the severe discomfort of the recovery by allowing the brain to self-correct and regulate its processes.

In a neurOptimal® session, you just sit back in a comfortable recliner and listen to zen music. A set of sensors are applied to the scalp and ears to read the brain activity. While in this relaxed state, the specialized software interprets this brain activity and provides audio and visual feedback.

The brain responds to the feedback, and is offered an opportunity to improve its behavior, become healthier, more balanced. 

Through NeurOptimal®, you can be in charge of your own recovery. 

Finding Mental And Emotional Balance

After a car crash, people tend to focus on their physical health or the financial implications. An accident is not only damaging to our bodies, but it can also cause mental and emotional trauma. The mental state has an impact on our overall recovery and should not be neglected.

Even if you are not suffering from post-traumatic stress, restless thoughts, mood changes, and poor sleep can still occur, especially in the weeks following the accident.

The brainwaves produced by the electrical impulses of the neurons are at the core of our thoughts and feelings. Through neurofeedback, we can focus on a certain type of brainwaves and improve the way we feel. For example, we can elevate the alpha brainwaves responsible for a state of relaxation to achieve calm and better sleep.

As a certified brain health coach and an advanced NeurOptimal® neurofeedback provider, I am here to help you through your recovery.