For many adolescents, these feelings subside over time. But for some children and teens, trauma can catalyze a variety of PTSD signs and symptoms that require skilled mental health treatment.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is an emotional response that occurs after someone experiences a distressing or disturbing event. Trauma can come in many different forms and can affect anyone, at any age, at any time.
A person’s response to trauma can vary depending on the severity of the trauma, whether their exposure to the trauma was direct or indirect, and their mental health history. Trauma can cause emotional and physical distress, leave long-lasting emotional wounds, and cause additional mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety.
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Table of Contents
Examples of Traumatic Experiences
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) defines a traumatic event as exposure, directly or indirectly, to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Common types of stressful events that can cause trauma in children and teens include:
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Witnessing or experiencing domestic violence
- Neglect
- Serious accident, injury, or life-threatening illness
- Car or train wrecks
- Emotional abuse
- Bullying
- Community violence, such as a school shooting
- Unexpected loss of a loved one
- Parents’ divorce
- Natural disaster, such as a tornado, hurricane, or earthquake
What Is PTSD?
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder triggered by a terrifying and traumatic event. When children and adolescents cannot overcome the trauma on their own, it may progress into PTSD. Teens can experience PTSD symptoms, such as flashbacks, nightmares, panic attacks, or suicidal thoughts, within a month of the trauma or years afterward.
Most young people who experience traumatic events may have difficulty adjusting and coping for a period of time. But with good self-care and a positive family support system, the effects of trauma can be temporary. However, when the emotional and physical distress worsen over time, last for months or even years, and interfere with day-to-day functioning, these are signs of PTSD.
How Are Trauma and PTSD Different and the Same?
There is a notable difference between PTSD and trauma, and that is the length of time. Trauma refers to a specific event or series of events that may cause emotional reactions, such as fear or anxiety. PTSD is a diagnosable disorder that includes long-term negative psychological consequences due to traumatic events. Teens with PTSD continue to relive the traumatic event through flashbacks, nightmares, and uncontrollable thoughts—responses that interfere with daily functioning.
What Causes PTSD in Teens? Risk Factors for Childhood PTSD
Not every teen who has trauma will develop PTSD after experiencing a traumatic event. However, there are some factors that determine the likelihood of PTSD, including:
- The severity of the trauma
- Parents’ reaction to the trauma
- How close or far away the child is from the traumatic event
As a parent, it is important to understand the signs and symptoms of trauma in children. Learning the behaviors and emotions that may follow a traumatic event can help you understand how to best support them. Children and teens directly impacted by severe trauma are more likely to have PTSD. However, a positive family support system can have a significant impact on how quickly they recover.
It can be challenging as a parent to talk to your teen about trauma, but it is important to try. Trauma is a risk factor for nearly all behavioral health and substance use disorders, and there is potential for developing other mental health disorders. If you fear your teen’s trauma has progressed into PTSD, and they are exhibiting symptoms, a mental health evaluation is the next step.
Can Childhood Trauma Cause PTSD?
Unresolved childhood trauma, such as sexual or physical abuse, increases a child’s risk for PTSD. For some, PTSD develops within a month of the traumatic event. For others, it can appear later in life. This is why it is critical that signs of PTSD in children are not ignored.
Moreover, a child’s PTSD symptoms can mimic those of depression, with trauma signs such as appetite changes and sleep problems. They might act out with tantrums or, conversely, become clingier and experience separation anxiety when they are away from parents or caregivers.
Common Forms of Teen Trauma
There are various types of teen trauma that may result in PTSD signs and symptoms and require treatment.
Acute Trauma
Acute trauma is typically a response to a short-lived, single incident, such as a car accident or natural disaster.
Chronic Trauma
Chronic trauma refers to repeated and prolonged trauma, such as domestic violence or abuse.
Relational Trauma
Relational trauma occurs in childhood when the bonding between parent and child is somehow disrupted or interrupted, most commonly from abandonment or enmeshment.
Collective Trauma
Collective trauma refers to the psychological repercussions of a devastating event that affects an entire group, country, or population.
Vicarious Trauma
Also known as secondary trauma, vicarious trauma is a result of secondhand exposure to traumatic events, such as school shootings.
Complex Trauma
Complex trauma involves a combination of various types of traumatic events, which together create a unique constellation of trauma symptoms.
How Many Teens Have PTSD/Trauma?
Trauma is more prevalent among adolescents and teens than you might think. Common types of teen trauma include sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, bullying, and loss of a loved one.
According to SAHMSA, more than two-thirds of children experience at least one traumatic event by age 16. A study published in Psychological Trauma reported that 62 percent of teens aged 13–17 have been exposed to at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. And 19 percent have been exposed to three or more traumatic events. Furthermore, about one-third of teens who experience trauma develop PTSD.
Teen Trauma in Girls
A recent report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that teen girls are confronting the highest levels of sexual violence, sadness, and hopelessness ever reported by the organization. The data shows that:
- 1 in 5 teen girls experience sexual violence in the past year and 1 in 10 had been forced to have sex
- 3 in 5 girls felt persistently sad and hopeless
- More than 1 in 4 girls considered suicide, while 1 in 10 attempted suicide
LGBTQ+ Teen Trauma
The CDC report also found that LGBQ+ students were more likely to have experienced traumatic violence and mental health issues than their heterosexual peers.
Of the LGBQ+ students surveyed:
- 1 in 10 avoided school out of safety concerns
- 1 in 4 experienced sexual violence
- 1 in 4 experienced bullying at school
- 1 in 4 attempted suicide
Clearly, teen trauma is a serious issue that must be addressed. If you observe sudden changes in your teen’s behavior, there could be a deeper issue. Teen trauma can be treated in a caring environment with an expert clinical staff. Our team at Newport Academy is ready to help your teen recover from the effects of trauma.
How Do I Identify My Child’s PTSD?
Children who have experienced trauma often have difficulty expressing and managing their emotions. They can either internalize or externalize reactions to stressful situations. Therefore, their emotional responses can be unpredictable, even volatile.
Childhood PTSD symptoms often mimic symptoms of depression, such as difficulty sleeping, staying in bed all day, or sudden shifts in eating patterns. Unexplained irritability or outbursts can be a common symptom of PTSD in children because they have difficulty expressing emotions verbally. Contact your child’s healthcare provider if you observe any concerning behavioral changes in your child outside their normal development.
Signs of PTSD/Trauma in Teenagers
Signs of PTSD and trauma in teens can be difficult to recognize because teenagers are undergoing numerous physical and mental changes during this period in their life, in addition to navigating peer pressure, insecurities, and social comparison. It’s not uncommon for their emotions and mood to fluctuate.
However, teen trauma signs are usually more extreme and ongoing than typical teen angst. If any of these symptoms appear and begin to interfere with your teen’s daily life, they may be harboring unresolved trauma.
Symptoms of PTSD in teens include:
- Excessive worry or anxiousness
- Feeling sad, fearful, or hopeless
- Crying often
- Having panic attacks
- Reliving the traumatic experience through flashbacks
- Feeling angry, resentful, or irritable
- Having nightmares or night terrors
- Avoiding places or people that remind them of the traumatic event
- Retreating or isolating from family and friends
- Difficulty concentrating or keeping up in school
Physical symptoms of PTSD in teens can appear in the form of:
- Headaches, stomachaches, or digestive issues
- Being “on alert” at all times
- Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- Rapid heart rate
- Sweating and shaking
- Acting jumpy or easily startled
In addition, there are extreme signs of PTSD in teens that should not be ignored. These PTSD symptoms signal the need for immediate assistance from a mental health professional:
- Exhibiting reckless, harmful, or erratic behavior
- Expressing suicidal thoughts
- Threatening violence to themselves or others
- Feeling consumed by depression or anxiety
- Numbing out and secluding themselves from family and friends
- Excessive use of drugs and/or alcohol to self-medicate
When to Seek Teen Trauma Treatment
If you recognize some of the signs and symptoms of trauma in teens in your child, Newport Academy can help. Trauma and PTSD treatment with a team of qualified mental health professionals can help teens avoid destructive behaviors and the progression of other mental health disorders.
Along with PTSD symptoms, it is not uncommon for adolescents to have co-occurring psychiatric disorders, including major depression, substance use disorder, and anxiety disorders such as panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder. Our treatment addresses these issues in addition to healing the underlying trauma.
Your teen does not have to live with the pain and suffering of trauma and PTSD. The sooner your teen confronts the trauma, the sooner they can find long-term, sustainable healing. Get started today with a teen mental health assessment.
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Newport holds the Gold Seal of Approval® from The Joint Commission, the nation’s oldest and largest healthcare accrediting body, and is affiliated with a wide range of national organizations and certification bodies.
Additional Articles on Teen Trauma.
Our extensive library of resources for parents and professionals provides the latest research on teenage trauma and other teen mental health issues, as well as tips and insight from our thought leaders. Learn more about the multiple facets of trauma and how to support teens who are struggling.
Vicarious Trauma and Its Impact on Teens
The Difference Between Trauma and PTSD
EMDR for Adolescent Trauma and Other Mental Health Conditions
Frequently Asked Questions.
How does teenage trauma affect adulthood?
How can I help my child who experienced trauma?
What are the signs of trauma in a child?
What happens if PTSD is left untreated in a child?
How might PTSD in children present differently than PTSD in adults?
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