When a teen shows symptoms and signs of trauma, it falls to their parents to find a treatment program to get them the help they need. However, before parents can help, they need to know what behaviors indicate that a teen may struggle with trauma.
Foothills at Red Oak Recovery offers trauma treatment for adolescent and teen boys. If your teen is dealing with trauma, getting help can significantly affect their ability to heal and move forward. Call 866.300.5275 today to learn more about trauma treatment at Foothills for Red Oaks Recovery.
What Is Trauma?
Trauma refers to any upsetting or distressing situation that negatively impacts mental or emotional health. Trauma often stems from a situation that produces intense fear coupled with a sense of powerlessness.
Trauma can be complex and highly individual. Developing trauma has more to do with a teen’s reaction to an upsetting event than the event itself. Two teens might be in the same car accident, but only one experiences the accident as traumatizing.
Factors like mental and emotional health, genetics, family support, and the ability to process the experience directly impact whether a teen develops trauma after a distressing event.
Signs of Trauma in Teens
Trauma can have a huge impact on a teen’s happiness. It’s normal for teens sometimes to challenge parental authority and try to assert autonomy. However, parents need to know when their teen’s behavior is normal and when it’s a sign that something else is happening.
Some of the most common signs of teen trauma include:
- Withdrawing from friends or family
- Isolating
- Declining performance at school
- Losing interest in hobbies and activities
- Emotional outbursts or overreactions
- Depression or anxiety
- Rebellious behavior
- Substance use
Trauma can manifest differently in different teens. In some cases, trauma can develop into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a diagnosable mental health disorder. It’s often accompanied by symptoms that include:
- Flashbacks to the event
- Nightmares
- Panic attacks
- An overwhelming sense of fear
- Difficulty completing daily tasks
A mental health professional must confirm whether a teen is experiencing PTSD. However, any trauma should be addressed to help a teen heal and thrive.
Signs of Childhood Trauma in Teens
In many cases, a teen exhibiting trauma symptoms may be dealing with trauma that happened years earlier, in childhood. These situations can be more confusing to parents, as it can be harder to connect a teen’s current behavior and events that happened years before.
Parents are also unaware that their child has experienced a traumatic event. Childhood sexual abuse and school bullying are two common sources of childhood trauma that children don’t always disclose to their parents out of fear or shame.
The signs of childhood trauma in teens can look much the same as trauma related to a recent event. However, it can help parents understand that a teen may exhibit symptoms of trauma that occurred years ago.
Heal Teen Trauma at Foothills for Red Oak Recovery
These common signs of trauma in teens can help parents recognize when there’s a problem that requires professional support. Allowing teen trauma to go untreated can impact academics, employment, relationships, and overall quality of life.
Teens aren’t always eager to ask for help or discuss emotionally challenging topics. Parents can support their teens by finding an effective treatment program, participating in family sessions, and educating themselves about trauma and how to help a teen heal.
Untreated trauma often leads to substance use and other mental health concerns. Foothills at Red Oak Recovery offers treatment options for adolescent and teen boys dealing with substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions.
If you’re concerned about your teen’s behavior, give us a call at 866.300.5275 to learn more about our programs or schedule an evaluation at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery.
