What is trauma?
Trauma is the psychological response to living through a terrifying or life-threatening experience. For example, causes of trauma include active shooter situations, personal violence, automobile accidents, and natural disasters.
Teenagers may also develop trauma from witnessing family separation or divorce. Adolescents may be extra sensitive to trauma in their lives as they’re still developing coping mechanisms for stress.
Trauma often causes immediate symptoms, including increased anxiety, denial, and depression. In most cases, you recover from your experience and your symptoms subside.
However, trauma can also cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental health disorder that causes long-lasting symptoms that tend to become more severe over time instead of subsiding.
What are the signs that my child is struggling with trauma?
In most cases, you’ll know if your child survives a traumatic life event such as an automobile accident, an active shooter situation, or a natural disaster like an earthquake.
As teenagers become more independent, it’s possible that they might not share every experience with you, especially if it’s something they feel embarrassed or shameful about.
Some of the signs that your child might be dealing with trauma include:
- Avoiding certain people or places
- Losing interest in previously enjoyed hobbies or activities
- Having nightmares
- Symptoms of anxiety
- Impulsive or self-destructive behaviors
- Reduced focused
- Declining academic performance
If you’re concerned about your child and trauma or if they’re showing signs of any type of mental health condition, contact the team at EXIS Youth for expert diagnosis and personalized treatment.
What’s included in trauma treatment?
The team at EXIS Youth provides personalized treatment plans to help your teenager recover from trauma. They combine evidence-based therapy with mindfulness and other experiential treatments, including yoga, meditation, art therapy, and recreational therapy, to address your child’s specific needs.
EXIS Youth provides a safe and nurturing environment where your teenager can explore their memories, thoughts, and feelings. They learn strategies to cope with intrusive and distressing thoughts and to adjust their response instead of engaging in self-destructive or otherwise harmful actions.
The goal is to help your teenager learn to cope with trauma and stress in a healthy, productive manner so they can regain their quality of life.
If you think your teenager needs trauma treatment, call EXIS Youth to make an appointment today for expert diagnosis and treatment.
