Though there is still a limited amount of information regarding the effects of post traumatic stress disorder in teens, great strides within the psychiatric community have been made in the area of understanding the condition and what treatment options can help suffering children and teens. If you or a loved one is suffering from the devastating symptoms of PTSD, then it is important that you arm yourself with the large amount of available knowledge and appeal to the skills of your mental health professional in order to effectively deal with the effects associated with this disorder.
Before psycho-therapeutic treatment can be administered, it is paramount that the physical and emotional safety of the child be secured. This is especially vital in instances of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse of a child or teen. Taking the steps to ensure a safe environment for adolescents may require various types of intervention, including, but not limited to social services and police involvement.
Once the security of the adolescent has been established, the most common primary treatment is psychotherapy. This, in combination with psycho-pharmacology can be especially effective in cases where a patient is suffering from extreme depression or panic symptoms. Therapeutic practices used in cases of child and teen post traumatic stress disorder are generally based on the effective aspects of psychotherapy used in adults suffering from the same symptoms. Appropriate modifications are made to fit the age and mindset of the patient. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been demonstrated as being especially effective when treating PTSD in the very young. CBT has been shown to decrease depression and behavior problems in adolescent survivors of trauma.
The typical components of psycho-therapeutic measures include a gradual exposure to questioning pertaining to the trauma. Detailed discussion of the thoughts, feelings, and the memories an individual associates with the traumatic events are utilized. Depending on the individual’s personality, different methods may be used to facilitate this discussion. Writing down the details of the event can be an effective measure by which to inform a professional therapist of the way in which the patient views their circumstances. The best way to find a good psychiatrist near your area is to search on internet. You could type something like “psychiatrist near me” and you will surely find a psychiatrist close by.
There is less information regarding the effectiveness of medication in association with adolescent PTSD. This being said, a mental health professional may be able to recommend a line of psycho-pharmacological treatment which can improve the quality of life for a suffering patient. Pharmacological agents may also be useful as a component of therapy and allow traumatized children and teens to relate their thoughts, feelings, and memories of an event more accurately and with a calmer, controlled disposition.