Research indicates that up to 5% of teenagers aged 13-18 suffer from teen post-traumatic stress disorder. Some, whose trauma is attributed to primary caregivers or authority figures, report severe interpersonal trust difficulties. For parents, it is difficult to watch a teenage son resist or reject the men in his life. It is easier to label …
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Why Teen Boys With Trauma Often Get Labeled as “Bad Kids”
Teen trauma can have immense effects on the developing brain. Research shows that individuals with traumatic pasts are likely to engage in problematic behaviors. For teenage boys, such behaviors are usually misunderstood as defiance or misconduct. This misunderstanding often leads them to be labeled as bad kids. Do not be quick to punish; instead, probe …
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Why Traumatized Teen Boys Shut Down Instead of Reaching Out
Research indicates that most teenagers experience multiple traumatic events over the course of childhood and more so during adolescence. Unfortunately, not all seek or receive help. Over time, some of them begin exhibiting behaviors that resemble emotional silence or social withdrawal. Most caregivers usually view the transition from being lively to withdrawn as direct defiance …
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How Trauma Shows Up Differently in Boys Than Girls
While trauma can easily change the trajectory of a teenager’s development, it rarely manifests uniformly. According to studies, roughly 16% of children and adolescents who experience a traumatic event eventually develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, a notable gender gap exists. Girls usually exhibit symptoms like teen anxiety or teen depression, leading to most of …
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My Teen Son Was Assaulted and Now Won’t Leave His Room
The trauma that accompanies assault can haunt your teen son for years. The National Center for PTSD estimates that 1-6% of boys who undergo a traumatic event eventually develop teen PTSD. For most of them, the decline begins with severe avoidance behaviors, including isolation. Let’s better understand the psychology behind your son’s withdrawal. We will …
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