Recognizing PTSD in Teens

A new study shows that close to one in every three teens has experienced PTSD symptoms as a result of the pandemic and its associated trauma. Fear, anxiety, grief, and large and small losses over the last two years — both “Big T” and “little t” types of trauma—have contributed to this startling statistic.

It’s essential for parents and caregivers to understand the symptoms of PTSD in teens, because this disorder doesn’t typically get better on its own. Adolescents need professional support in order to heal from trauma and head off the long-term psychological repercussions associated with PTSD.

What Is PTSD in Teens?

PTSD can be caused by a wide range of traumatic experiences, ranging from accidents and natural disasters to the loss of a parent or other family member. A single traumatic event, such as a car accident or a violent incident, is known as “acute trauma.” Traumatic stress can last days, weeks, or months following the event. A traumatic event is typically an event that results in or threatens death or injury. Moreover, experts define tragedy as an event or circumstance that creates intense distress or sadness.

Ongoing traumatic events, such as exposure to childhood abuse, domestic violence, or gang violence, are called “chronic trauma.” Both acute and chronic trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in teens. Moreover, children and teens can experience vicarious trauma, also known as secondary trauma, caused by indirect exposure to traumatic events via the media or close friends or family members.

12 Common PTSD Symptoms in Teens

For stress to be considered PTSD, symptoms must last more than a month and be severe enough to interfere with daily functioning. PTSD symptoms in teens include the following:

1. Flashbacks
2. Nightmares
3. Panic attacks
4. Confusion and inability to make decisions
5. Difficulty sleeping
6. Finding it hard to enjoy activities that were once pleasurable
7. Irritable or aggressive behavior
8. Emotional numbness
9. Constantly feeling on edge
10. Avoiding people, places, or situations that trigger memories of the traumatic event
11. Difficulty focusing
12. Suicidal thoughts.

Teen PTSD Triggers

A PTSD trigger is a particular detail that sets off memories of the original traumatic event. Triggers can be external, such as certain places, people, situations, smells, sounds, or objects that remind you of the trauma. Or they can be internal: thoughts, emotions, and even physical sensations associated with the experience.

Some triggers are straightforward, such as a video of an accident or assault, or the anniversary of the traumatic event. It’s not surprising that these would catalyze memories. But triggers can also be more subtle and individual—for example, hearing a song that you heard just before the traumatic experience.

Trauma triggers develop when the brain connects specific details, like a song or a smell, to traumatic memories and associations. When the trigger “goes off,” the brain switches into fight-flight-or-freeze mode. Therefore, sensations and emotions related to the traumatic event rush back, creating what’s known as a flashback. Even though there is no actual threat during a flashback, the body reacts as if you are in danger.

Statistics About PTSD in Teens

The new study, published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, measured mental health symptoms in 447 adolescents, using industry-accepted scales for anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Results showed that 28.5 percent of the teens were experiencing moderate to high levels of PTSD. In addition, 28 percent had anxiety symptoms, and 37.6 percent had depressive symptoms.

Many more teens are at risk of PTSD. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than two-thirds of adolescents ages 17 and under report having experienced a traumatic event. And the American Psychological Association reports that “nearly all children and adolescents express some kind of distress or behavioral change in the acute phase of recovery from a traumatic event.” Left untreated, this may lead to PTSD in teens.

In fact, teens may be more likely than adults to have PTSD. In one study, researchers at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute reported that PTSD in teens is more common than in adults.

Rates of PTSD are higher for certain types of trauma survivors. Children and teens who go through the most severe traumas have the highest levels of symptoms. More than 75 percent of children who experience a school shooting and approximately 90 percent of those who are sexually abused develop PTSD.

Medication is sometimes used to combat PTSD symptoms in teens—typically the same ones used to treat depression and anxiety. However, drug-free solutions for PTSD have been shown to be equally or more effective.

Treatment for PTSD in teens can make all the difference. But sometimes stigma or fear can prevent a teen from asking for help. Therefore, parents and other adults need to monitor teens carefully after a traumatic event, as well as during a period of collective trauma such as we’re experiencing now. Teens suffering from PTSD need comprehensive and compassionate support in order to heal and move forward. Contact us today to learn more about our approach to treating teen trauma.

Sources:

Int J Clinical Practice. 2021 Nov; 75(11): e14880.
Minerva Pediatrica. 2010 August;62(4):363–70.
American Psychological Association
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

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