Why is it that I'm still traumatized?

It sounds like post traumatic stress. You could probably benefit from a few sessions with a counselor.

I agree. Even though you only suffered a few bruises, the impact was extremely traumatic. Your “attachment” to the car could also be a symptom, along with the flashbacks and dreams, of PTSD. Here is a good article about PTSD and the symptoms.

Did the nightmares just start up? Were you ok for a while and now kind of backsliding? Are you afraid to drive now?

Here’s what I think. It could be PTSD, but it also could easily be that this event now represents loss of control for you, so your dreams go to it if you are experiencing a loss of control in your life that might be totally unrelated to the car accident. If that is the case, then once you get through or get more in control in real life the dreams will go away. Or, if you can talk through what is bothering you in real life the dreams might let up.

Did you get a new car yet?

Also, why are you talking about the accident a lot? That can have a negative effect. i din’t mean you should stifle yourself if you need to talk, but when a bad thing happens, dwelling on it can actually engrave the memories into your brain, and the emotion link to it is very strong.
So every time something similar trigger that emotion, the car event is triggered in your memory.

Do you feel any guilt about the accident?

Do you feel confident you can handle that situation better next time? You know what you could have done to possibly stear the car differently? Or, maybe you accept that there was no way to do it better and just very unfortunate?

I just saw the photos, sorry I didn’t look at them before. It looks like your car just needs to be fixed. Is it fixed yet?

@JLeslie – The OP says the car was totaled, so it was deemed not worth repairing by the insurance company – probably due to damage to the chassis.

I have been in a few serious car accidents, the worst and most recent in which I did a ¾ roll in a Mini Cooper S and walked away with just whiplash and a couple scratches. I loved that car and still miss it >3 years later. I had designed it and had it built for me; and it was the most expensive thing I’d ever bought, and I was proud to be able to afford it. It had previously survived a side-impact accident with nearly $18,000 of damage when it was 6 weeks old (to the hour!), which was not enough to total it since that was less than half the value of my brand new car. It took them months to fix it right! So I can relate to the attachment to the car.

I have not been traumatized severely from any accidents; but after that last one, I was freaked-out a bit and it all really comes down to the feeling of not having control. In your accident, you were driving a muscle car in the rain at night, and I have the impression that you are young and relatively new to driving which adds to an already risky situation. The Mustangs and Camaros are very cool-looking cars, but they still are rear-wheel drive, right? I just don’t think that they are a practical choice – especially for young drivers.

Have you replaced the Camaro? If not yet, consider getting a sporty car with front- or all-wheel drive, so you’ll have a better sense of control and better handling. Take a defensive driving course and refresh your knowledge of how to handle hydroplanes and skids. If you can afford it, consider an advanced behind-the-wheel course so you can get hands-on practice at controlling that machine. Always remember this: you can not control any of the millions of other people on the road, and far too many of them don’t comprehend how seriously deadly the roads are, and drive as if they’re sitting on their couch, rather than being alert and engaged with the act of driving. The best thing you can do is to educate and train yourself to be capable of handling a vehicle in treacherous conditions, and to practice zen driving. As the saying goes, getting back on the horse is the best way to overcome the fear after having been thrown.

I got hit head on several years ago. Totalled my car (which I loved), and left me with nightmares.
I went to a therapist for 7 sessions. It did me a world of good!
About 4 weeks in, during a nightmare, I was able to regain control of the car. After that, the nightmares were completely manageable.

The term Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome was invented to describe your situation and others of that ilk.

The real question is how can you not have flashbacks and strong emotions? The classic (and effective, at least in my experience) way of dealing is to talk to a therapist. Being able to repeat your story again and again with no fear of boring or annoying your interlocutor is very powerful. Being able to share your feelings with him or her without any apology (your attachment to your car, for example) will afford you a lot of relief.

I still run the videos in my head of the traumatic experiences in my life; one over thirty years ago. The episodes are milder, less vivid and less distressing but there. They are as much a part of me as the joyful events.

What you went through was scary, and I’m not surprised that it traumatized you. Go see a counselor and let them help you through it.

Agree with above.

I just want to add that therapists have different approaches. Talk therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, etc. Feel free to interview a few different ones.

I find that overly talking about what has traumatized me re-traumatizes me. I need to focus on the current symptoms and how to manage them. Very practical and to-the-point.