Emotion: sadness
Problem: ongoing depression
Situation: Car accident led to traumatic brain injury and PTSD having nightmares 2x a week.

user: Hello there. In the past 3 years, I have gotten into 2 car accidents. Neither of them were my fault. I sustained a concussion/traumatic brain injury and am experiencing depression and PTSD. I have nightmares of crashing at least 2x a week. I am seeing a therapist, but due to the pandemic we are not meeting in person to do EDMR for my PTSD

assistant: Hello, I'm so sorry to hear that. That sounds like an awful lot to go through in a few years time, which now can feel like the time passes so quickly.

user: I have a traumatic brain injury that creates a lot of overstimulation in my life. I used to be social and now I can't be in a social setting for too long without feeling exhausted

assistant: Have you tried to talk to your therapist through video chat or is that something they offer?

user: Yes, I talk to my therapist every other week

assistant: That's great that they can offer that, I know it's very difficult to get regular care at the moment with the pandemic. Do you have any family or friends close by or something that you can talk to if you feel like you need some extra support?

user: I do not have supportive or understanding friends and family I have lost a lot of them in the last few years or have created boundaries because when I got into my first car accident, legit someone said "are you not better yet?" and another said "can't you just walk it off?" When I got into my second car accident, people said "again? are you drunk?" Even though neither were my fault, people were not understanding or asked how scary those situations for me were

assistant: I am sorry to hear that, people are very quick to judge so it's very unfortunate that you were treated that way.

user: After my first car accident, the tow truck guy was towing my car to my aunt's garage to hold for auto insurance appraisal. He said to my aunt "sorry for your loss" My aunt said "oh, she's right over there and alive" the car accident was so bad the tow truck guy thought I had died but even after seeing my car, friends and family acted like it was just something that happens to everyone. walk it off

assistant: Wow, I can't imagine what the car must have looked like then for such a comment to be made. I'm glad that you here and despite going through that trauma that you are still going.

user: Thanks.

assistant: A women fell asleep at the wheel in 2013 and hit me going through an intersection and totaled by car as well, but I had only had a concussion and pain I had to go to physical therapy for a short time, so I can't imagine how you must have felt.

user: What are some things you do when you have depression? Have you been in a scary car accident before or know anyone? Have you offered them kindness or you just dismissed them and thought it was their own problem? That sounds scary. And is extremely unfortunate.

assistant: I'm sorry that you didn't get the support you needed after your accidents because it's hard enough to go through the pain and trauma (mental and physical) to begin with and the support is much needed.

user: Absolutely! But I'm doing better now. You find out who your real friends and family are and you move on. The whole saying of "they don't deserve you at your best when they weren't there when you were at your worst"

assistant: You are 100% correct. Have you looked into any support groups at all or tried to connect with anyone with similar experiences through social media?

user: I don't use social media I quit in 2016, which is also when I started realizing how vain people are Some of those same friends and family didn't bother to text me even though they had my number I did find a local group that did social stuff together but they were all really old like 50 years plus I'm in my 20s so it was hard to relate

assistant: Gotcha! Well I'm glad I was able to connect with you this evening because sometimes it helps just to chat and have someone listen :-)

user: Thanks! I appreciate it. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year