PTSD: What Parents Should Know About Treating Teens and Young Adults

The teen years is an intense and tumultuous time. While it's common for teens to be moody and irritable, sometimes they can develop mental health challenges which can be serious and must be addressed.

If your teen witnessed a traumatic event or had a traumatic experience, you may be wondering if they may are suffering from PTSD. They might even be showing signs of PTSD, such as for instance flashbacks to the function, nightmares, increased agitation, emotional numbness, or trouble concentrating in school.

Managing PTSD in an adolescent can be extremely problematic for all involved, but just the very fact that you will be concerned is a positive and hopeful first step. Let's take a look at PTSD in teenagers—its signs and symptoms, the causes of it, and what treatment choices are available.

How Common Is PTSD in Teenagers?
PTSD treatment is experienced by whoever has been confronted with trauma, including witnessing violence, natural disasters, accidents, shootings, or being a victim of sexual or physical abuse. Traumas such as for example losing household members, divorce, and abandonment, can also cause PTSD.

Unfortunately, children and teenagers are not immune from traumas and can experience PTSD consequently of a traumatic experience. It's estimated that as many as 5% of teens aged 13 to 18 experience PTSD. Girls are more prone to experience it than boys. The prevalence of PTSD is all about 8% for girls and 2.3% for boys.2 Some researchers estimate that PTSD is obviously slightly higher in the teen population than in adults.

How Do Apparent symptoms of PTSD in Teens Differ From Adults?
Apparent symptoms of PTSD in teens more closely resemble PTSD symptoms in adults than in younger children.

At once, teenagers with PTSD may participate in “traumatic reenactment” significantly more than adults. Teens can also show more aggressive behaviors and act on impulse more frequently.

Dangers of PTSD in Teens
PTSD is a mental health condition that could cause reckless, dangerous, or suicidal behaviors. A teen who's in the midst of a flashback might end up in physical danger; for example, they might lose control of their car or fall off of something they're standing on. Much more likely, however, is that untreated PTSD can result in additional mental health issues.