Emotional Anxiety and Sleep Disturbance After an Accident
Table of Contents
Emotional aftereffects of a traffic accident
The aftereffects of a traffic accident are not limited to physical pain. Recurrent flashbacks of the accident scene, intense anxiety when riding in a vehicle, an exaggerated startle response to horns or sudden braking, and avoidance of accident-related places are all classic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Such psychological aftereffects are surprisingly common even after a minor fender-bender.
Korean medicine pattern — heart-and-gallbladder deficiency-with-timidity (Simdamheogeop, 心膽虛怯)
Korean medicine sees a sudden shock or fright as injuring the qi of the Heart and Gallbladder. The Heart governs the spirit (神), and the Gallbladder governs decisiveness and courage. When the fear of an accident greatly weakens the qi of the Heart and Gallbladder, the patient falls into a state of Simdamheogeop (心膽虛怯): easily startled, anxious, and unable to sleep. This is accompanied by palpitations (jeongchung, 怔忡), frequent sighing, and excessive dreaming (damong, 多夢).
Modified Ondam-tang (溫膽湯)
Ondam-tang is a representative formula that warms the Gallbladder to dispel timidity and clears phlegm-fluid (痰飮) from the Stomach to refresh the spirit. For traffic-accident PTSD, Polygala root (wonji, 遠志) and Acorus rhizome (seokchangpo, 石菖蒲) are added to calm the spirit (anshin, 安神), and Ziziphus seed (sanjo-in, 酸棗仁) is added to induce sleep. When chest tightness is severe, Bupleurum (siho, 柴胡), Dragon bone (yonggol, 龍骨), and Oyster shell (moryeo, 牡蠣) are added.
Acupuncture and ear acupuncture
- Shenmen (神門, HT7): Stabilizes Heart qi; the key acupoint for relieving anxiety and insomnia
- Baihui (百會, GV20): Clears the spirit and lifts yang qi
- Neiguan (內關, PC6): Relieves chest tightness and palpitations
- Ear acupuncture — Shenmen and Sympathetic points: Press needles applied to the ear provide a continuous calming effect over 24 hours
Sleep hygiene guidance
Along with herbal medicine and acupuncture, organizing your sleep environment is important. Reduce smartphone use 2 hours before bedtime and try to lie down at the same time each day. If post-accident sleep disturbance lasts more than 2 weeks, you must seek specialized treatment to prevent it from becoming chronic.