Citation

Gregory DR. Am. Assoc. Automot. Med. Q. J. 1979; 1(1): 21-23.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1979, American Association for Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A new kind of injury, recently recognized as part of the post-traumatic clinical state following a motor vehicle crash, is referred to as psychic disability following trauma. Four types of post-traumatic psychiatric symptom complexes have been described: the conversion reaction, the phobic reaction, the intensive reaction, and "traumatic neurosis" itself. The traumatic neurosis can be contemplated as a specific psychiatric entity characterized by such symptoms as the startle reaction, fear of loud noises, irritability, insomnia, tremulousness, anxiety, impairment of concentration and memory, frequent nightmare significant decrease in social awareness, social contact, sexual activity, and often profound depression. The traumatic neurosis can result from a great dissimilarity in the precipitating incidents, and may be a fundamental, organismic reaction to severe external stress. Most people who are subject to injury with no (or only a few seconds) preparation will suffer high degree of fright. It is understandable that the dramatic quality of the accident, together with the intensity of the emotional reaction to it, encourages the sufferer to assume to other difficulties in his life subsequent to the accident are t] result of the accident. Adversary roles are accentuated cases such as these. Physicians are urged to get patients in therapy as soon after the accident as possible, as this is like to lessen the emotional, as well as the financial, damage.