Treatment for PTSD in Young Adults and Teens

Teenagers tend to experience events and emotions much more intensely than adults do. Instances that would seem trivial to an adult can ve exponentially traumatic for adolescents. Stress and anxiety are likely to be triggered by any form of traumatic experience, but the symptoms have to reach extremely severe levels for a PTSD diagnosis.

Bearing this in mind, the symptoms of PTSD can be very subjective, as people can all react differently to the same situation. Ridge RTC offers a unique and innovative approach to treating PTSD and its related symptoms within your teen or adolescent.

What is PTSD?

Witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event brings about a severe anxiety disorder known as post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD can be both emotionally and physically destructive, and depending on the circumstances could advance to become life-threatening. This disorder affects a person’s physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. A few examples of events that could create PTSD in a person are historical trauma, domestic violence, bullying, tragic accidents, and natural disasters.

In the past, PTSD moved under the cloak of several names, such as “combat fatigue” during World War II or “shell shock” during World War I. This mental health illness does not affect only combat veterans, however. Anyone and everyone, no matter their ethnicity, nationality, culture or age can experience PTSD. Around 3.5% of adults in the United States are affected by PTSD every year. PTSD occurrence in teenagers (13-18 years old) is 8%.

PTSD causes intense feelings and unsettling thoughts to rise in a person long after the traumatic event happened. Flashbacks, deep sadness, nightmares, fear, and intense anger are common side effects of this disorder. People experiencing PTSD typically avoid locations, situations, and even people that remind them of the event. Such people can have adverse reactions to accidental touches or loud, sudden noises.

Why Your Teenager May Be Dealing With PTSD

The world has gone insane. Natural disasters are occurring with increased frequency, school shootings happen so regularly that they’re rarely reported on the front page, and sexual assault is as common as the flu. Bullying has taken flight and lives along the highways of the internet and on social media. The list of instances that could trigger PTSD within your child is numerous.

Such violent and distressing events can happen anywhere at any time, and your child experiencing or witnessing them could cause a severe anxiety reaction that develops into post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD can also further develop into (or be experienced alongside) other mental health issues such as depression.

Some common traumatic events that can develop into the disorder include: witnessing a death, surviving a school shooting, experiencing a life-threatening situation, sexual and/ or physical assault, and experiencing a natural disaster.

What Are the Different Types Of PTSD?

The four main classes of PTSD that young adults may develop are:

Acute Stress Disorder. At times deemed a forerunner to PTSD, this is distinguished by symptoms of intense stress and emotional recollection lasting less than a month.

Acute Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is where PTSD symptoms occur for less than three months.

Chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is where a person experiences PTSD symptoms for longer than three months. “Chronic” used in this instance means that the symptoms are long-lasting.

Delayed-Onset Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is where the symptoms of PTSD do not show up in a person until a long time has passed, usually several years, and the symptoms usually last for longer than six months.

What Are the Symptoms Of PTSD?

The symptoms of PTSD usually appear within a month after the triggering event, but sometimes years pass before symptoms begin to show. PTSD symptoms can wreak havoc on your ability to properly function, and cause considerable problems with relationships, social situations, and work settings.

PTSD symptoms can fall under four main categories: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions. Symptoms vary with each person, and the type and intensity depend on the root cause.

Common symptoms of PTSD in teenagers can include:

What Are the Causes of PTSD in Adolescents?

Trauma is the definitive cause of PTSD in teenagers and young adults. Genetics also plays a role, meaning that teens and adolescents with family histories consisting of anxiety, PTSD, and other mental issues are more likely to develop PTSD.

Extreme stress is the underlying cause of every PTSD case. Stress, however, is subjective and mostly takes the form of sexual assault or physical violence. In adolescents, developmental trauma is also a catalyst for PTSD. child abuse, neglect, or sexual abuse early in a child’s life are examples of repeated or developmental trauma.

What Are the Treatment Options for Teen and Adolescent PTSD?

Adolescents and teenagers often respond to treatment differently, and this can make treating PTSD difficult. A therapist’s immediate goal is to figure out the best way to tackle a teen’s PTSD and work with them to alleviate its symptoms. Medication is not usually recommended for this type of treatment, though it does have its uses. Most treatment options will have psychotherapy at its core.

Some therapeutic methods that are used to treat PTSD in teens are: