When Sandra was 18 years old, she was in a serious car accident. Although she made a full recovery from her injuries, she experienced extreme anxiety afterward. Sandra is now very anxious when driving, will not drive near the site of the accident, has nightmares about the accident, and flinches when she goes through intersections. Sandra has symptoms suggestive of

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Sandra's symptoms are consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is characterized by avoidance behaviors, nightmares, and heightened arousal after a traumatic event. While generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder may also involve fear and anxiety, they don't necessarily stem from a specific traumatic event like PTSD. A specific phobia involves an irrational fear of a specific object or situation (such as spiders or flying), which doesn't seem to be the case with Sandra.

When Sandra Was 18 Years Old, She Was in a Serious