pessimistic outlook on life, being cynical and distrusting of others.loss of interest in school, friends, hobbies, and life in general.self-absorption and caring only about what is immediately important.returning to younger ways of behaving including giving up responsibilities or a sudden return to rebellious behaviour.being very protective of family and friends.repetitively thinking about the traumatic event and talking about it often.strong emotions such as sadness, anger, anxiety and guilt.Common reactions to trauma in teenagersĮvery young person is different, but common symptoms of distress include: In order to help them, parents need to understand the ways in which teenagers manage distress. A younger child depends directly on their family, whereas many teenagers look to their peer group for support.

Your teenager will handle trauma differently to younger children or adults. Teenagers can also be deeply upset by local, national or international tragedies, or trauma that affects their friends. Despite the fact that these reactions usually subside as a part of the body’s natural healing and recovery process, it is important for parents or carers to understand the ways in which a teenager manages distress and trauma so they can support and help the young person. Teenagers who experience a distressing or frightening event are often concerned by these strong emotions.

As a result, a person experiences high levels of emotional, psychological, and physical distress that temporarily disrupts their ability to function normally in day to day life. A traumatic experience is any event in life that causes a threat to our safety and potentially places our own life or the lives of others at risk.

Signs of trauma response