Helping Teens Struggling
With Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder
Trying to find help for your struggling teen dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? Learn about how our boarding school in Texas can help your son.
Resolution Ranch Academy understands that parents want to send their child to a safe, monitored environment where their son receives personal care and individual therapies that help heal behavior or mental disorders–whether brought on by trauma, foster care, adoption, life-controlling issues, or family genetics.
While your teen boy enrolls in our school for troubled teens for counseling, treatment, and improving academic/life skills, Resolution also helps students struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder improve their mental and physical health.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Teens
“Many people will experience traumatic events in their lives, including children and teens. Some researchers estimate that as many as 40% of
children and adolescents will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. While most people are able to “bounce back” from the event after a few days, weeks, or months, others struggle to cope with the experience and the memory of the trauma. These people, including children and teens, can develop what is known as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.”
“Traumatic events often include physical violence, an accident, a natural disaster, war, or sexual abuse. Children or teens may have experienced these events themselves, or they may have witnessed them happen to someone else.”
Common PTSD Symptoms in Teens
Common PTSD Symptoms in Teens- Avoiding situations that make them recall the traumatic event
- Experiencing nightmares or flashbacks about the trauma
- Playing in a way that repeats or recalls the trauma
- Acting impulsively or aggressively
- Feeling nervous or anxious frequently
- Experiencing emotional numbness
- Having trouble focusing at school
Here are some other examples of PTSD symptoms your teen boy may have experienced:
- Children under 6 may get upset if their parents are not close by, have trouble sleeping, or act out the trauma in their play.
- Children ages 7 to 11 may also act out the trauma through play, drawings, or stories. Some have nightmares or become more irritable or aggressive. They may also want to avoid school or have trouble with schoolwork or friends.
- Children ages 12 to 18 have symptoms more similar to adults: depression, anxiety, withdrawal, or reckless behavior like substance abuse or running away.
Treating PTSD in Teens
Here are some common treatment options for teens with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy – A trauma-focused CBT therapist helps the student identify and correct irrational or illogical thoughts they might have about the trauma itself or people and situations they encounter in everyday life. CBT also typically includes psychoeducation about relaxation and coping techniques for stress.
- Play therapy – This type of therapy can work especially well for younger teens who struggle to communicate their reactions to the trauma and understand what happened. Play therapists use art therapy, games, and other interventions to help your son process trauma and cope resiliently with life.
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing – EMDR is a technique that incorporates guided eye movement exercises while a child recalls the traumatic event and works through cognitions and emotional responses they have about it.
- Medication – There is no medication that “cures” PTSD, but sometimes antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication can help relieve symptoms in some children and teens while they are also seeing a therapist.
“PTSD symptoms frequently co-occur with other types of mental illness or lead to other issues with children and teens, including substance use, risky behaviors, and self-injury. These issues may need to be addressed in treatment as well to protect your child and help them achieve a full recovery.”
Resolution Ranch Offers
Expert Teen Counseling
For Teens Suffering From PTSD
Our therapeutic boarding school in Texas offers a nurturing environment where teenage boys 13-17 can find unconditional support and guidance. If your child is suffering from behavior issues, depression or is making choices that cause harm to himself or others, we are here to help. Since 2004, we’ve been here to help boys suffering from a variety of personal issues, especially including: Self-destructive behavior and thoughtless attitudes, Failing in school, or school expulsion, life-controlling issues, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD), PTSD, and Depression.
To Find Out More About
Our Therapeutic Boarding School in Texas,
Please Complete Our Inquiry Form.
We look forward to talking to you about how we can help you, your son, and your whole family.
Our heart’s desire goes beyond just impacting your son but the restoration of the entire family.
Sources:
https://www.psycom.net/ptsd-in-children-and-adolescents
