The Airplane Crash Support Center

Airplane crashes don't happen often, but when they do those who have survived an airline accident are usually left with physical, psychological, and emotional scars.

We scoured the Web to assemble links to the very best airplane crash resources: articles, blogs, forums, and tools that can help you make better decisions and take action to overcome the range of physical, emotional, and other challenges that you may be facing as an airplane crash survivor.

As you’ll see, we always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make this guide even more helpful to survivors like you.    

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Survivors Say: Best Resources for Trauma Related to Airplane Crashes

It's estimated that any person's chances of being involved in a plane crash are just one in 6 million. But when it has happened to you, the odds definitely don't seem so remote and survivors may face a host of medical, emotional and mental challenges on their way to recovery after such a traumatic and life-changing event. Your story about how you survived is one you may want to share with others as part of your healing process. Here are some resources to help as you begin your journey as a survivor:

• National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Treatment of PTSD
• About.com: Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD) -- Coping with PTSD

There's lots of advice about how to survive a plane crash:

• BBC.co.uk: How to Survive a Plane Crash
  
• PopularMechanics.com: Worst-Case Scenarios - How to Survive an Airplane Crash 
• Time.com: Q&A - How to Survive a Plane Crash
• Huffington Post.com: Surviving a Plane Crash

The Big Picture

Interviews with survivors of plane crashes indicate that those who survived kept their wits in the midst of chaos and the survivors were more likely to have paid attention to the flight attendant as he/she reviewed the safety procedures and read the seat-pocket safety card. Whether you survived by doing some of these things or you did none of them, the impact of living through a plane crash is profound.

Injuries from airplane crashes run the gamut, from minor scratches to life-threatening blood loss, trauma, burns, and wounds.

• Nova/PBS.org: How Risky Is Flying?
• Federal Aviation Administration: Lessons Learned from Transport Airplane Accidents
  

Your Survivor Experience

How you begin your life as a survivor has a lot to do, of course, with the extent of your physical injuries, if any. If they are severe, you may have a prolonged recovery period and require physical therapy or rehabilitation:

• Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford: Classification and Treatment of Burns
• NeurologyChannel.com: Traumatic Brain Injury - Treatment

Your World

After an airplane accident you may find that readjusting to life is difficult on many levels. You may at first feel elated at having beaten death. Some survivors report that surviving a serious accident like this has changed their lives in a positive way. Still other may feel survivor's guilt:

• Mental Health Matters: Guilt Following Traumatic Events
• About.com: PTSD and Guilt

You may find it difficult to discuss your experience with your family and friends and you may even find yourself withdrawing from those closest to you. This behavior is common after a traumatic event, and you may need to speak to a counselor to help you process what happened:

National Center for PTSD: Finding a Therapist

Airplane Crash Myths

• "If you're in a plane crash you'll almost certainly die."
• "Sitting in some seats on the plane will protect you if the plane crashes."
• "Using your cell phone during the flight may cause the plane to crash."

Information and Recommended Links for Survivors

• American Psychological Association: Mental Health of Plane Crash Survivors
• National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Treatment of PTSD
  

Types of Treatment

What treatment you receive will depend on whether you experienced any injuries and if so, what they were and how severe they were. You may receive on-the-spot emergency medical treatment, surgery, and/or physical therapy, for example. Medications such as pain relievers may be given, and if you're experiencing emotional effects that are interfering with your sleep, or causing anxiety and/or depression, your doctor may prescribe you a sleep aid and/or anti-anxiety or antidepressant drugs.

Treatment of PTSD is likely to include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or another type of psychotherapy and medication:

National Center for PTSD: Treatment of PTSD

Possible Treatment Side Effects

All medications come with the risk of side effects and those used to treat the effects of trauma are no exception. Talk to your doctor about possible side effects and be sure to share all the medications you're taking, including over-the-counter drugs, supplements, and any alternative therapies such as herbs or homeopathic remedies.

Creating a Support Circle

• Set up your TSC survivor profile.
• Join support groups of other survivors or start your own.
• Interact and provide updates on your TSC profile or in the TSC forums.

Insurance & Money Matters

The airline may decide to compensate you -- or not. If you feel that you are being treated unfairly by an airline, the best recourse may be to consult with a lawyer. In such cases there are statues of limitations, so acting promptly may be in your best interest:

Health-care Providers Who Can Help

Who you see to help you after an airline accident depends on what injuries you sustained, if any, and whether or not you need or want psychological counseling. You may see a variety of medical doctors and specialists, as well as counselors/psychotherapists, physical therapsts, and spiritual practitioners or clergy.

Resources to Find Doctors

National Center for PTSD: Finding a Therapist

The Emotional Rollercoaster

Surviving a plane crash has made you a survivor, but to truly overcome the impact of this experience it's essential to deal with the feelings that are likely to come up in the aftermath. Reach out for support and/or psychotherapy (counseling) to do all you can to encourage healing:

• About.com: Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD) -- Coping with PTSD
• National Center for PTSD: Finding a Therapist
• Gift from Within: PTSD Resources for Survivors and Caregivers 

Books Survivors Recommend

• Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read
• And I Alone Survived by Lauren Elder
• Plane Crash: True Stories of Survival by Frank Spalding

What Survivors Wish They’d Known 

Dealing with Airplane Crashes: Information and Recommended Links for Co-Survivors

Fear of flying can have a big impact on your survivor's life. If your loved one would like to overcome this phobia here are some resources to help:            

• Boston.com: Ready for Takeoff
• About.com: Virtual Reality Treats Flight Phobia
• Fears-Phobias.Info: Conquering My Fear of Flying
• FearlessFlying.net

The emotions surrounding surviving a plane crash can be intense: fear, sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, depression, guilt -- all of these and more may come up without warning, even years after the accident occurred. Remember: You are not alone. Many other survivors -- from all sorts of crises and traumas -- are available for support and to help you move forward.

Recovery

Dealing with the trauma stemming from an airplane crash can be a long process, but with the right care and support, it will get easier with time. Some survivors find that their experience gives them a new, more positive outlook after the crash - and even a feeling that they've gotten a second chance at life.

• Psychology Today: Recovering from Trauma
  
• NewStatesman.com: "I'm a Survivor, But Not a Victim"

Give Back

Beyond sharing your story of survival with others on The Survivors Club and at other online communities, you may want to consider making a donation to an organization that works to raise awareness about plane crash survivors:

DisasterCenter.com

In a worst-case scenario a survivor of an airplane crash may experience injuries that leave him or her in debilitating pain, failing health, or even lead to death. Some survivors experience severe post-traumatic stress disorder with devastating and long-term consequences that may include sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety, and panic attacks:

• National Institute of Mental Health: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• National Center for PTSD
• Mayoclinic.com: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 

If you've lost a loved one in a plane crash you are no doubt dealing with the profound grief of a sudden, traumatic death; these resources can help you cope during this very difficult time:

• JourneyofHearts.org: Dealing with Sudden, Accidental or Traumatic Death
• Psychlinks.ca: Grief and Bereavement in Accidental or Sudden Death
• BeyondIndigo.com: Sudden and Violent Death