The Role of Trauma in Teen Girls’ Behavioral Issues
FACT CHECKED
The Nexus Teen Academy editorial and clinical team is dedicated to providing informative and accurate content to help families who are struggling with adolescent behavioral health problems. The editorial team works directly with the clinical team to ensure information is accurate and up-to-date.
To do this, our team uses the following editorial guidelines:
We generally only cite government and peer-reviewed studies
Scientific claims and data are backed by qualified sources
Content is updated to ensure we are citing the most up-to-date data and information
Clinically reviewed by Executive Director Hannah Carr-Unquera, LPC
Executive Director Hannah Carr-Unquera, LPC
Hannah graduated from Arizona State University with her Bachelor’s in Psychology and Master’s in Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arizona. She began her work as a therapist 12 years ago in South Phoenix with an intensive outpatient program for teens and their families. She joined Nexus in the residential program as the clinical director, eventually being promoted to the executive director, creating and building the clinical program structure and a strong culture focused on redirecting the trajectory of young lives.
The Nexus Teen Academy Editorial Staff is composed of writers, editors, and clinical reviewers with many years of experience writing about mental health and behavioral health treatment. Our team utilizes peer-reviewed, clinical studies from sources like SAMHSA to ensure we provide the most accurate and current information.
Trauma is common among teens. It can arise from day-to-day interactions, family dynamics, dangerous situations, and more. If your teen was exposed to any kind of trauma as a child, it may reemerge during adolescence as your teen undergoes emotional, physical, and cognitive changes.
According to a study conducted in 2013, it is estimated that62% of teens have been exposed to at least one traumatic incident. Of those sampled, 19% were exposed to more than one traumatic event. These traumatic events may cause your teen girl to develop behavioral issues such as engaging in risky behavior, substance abuse, isolation, and more. This article seeks to guide parents, caregivers, and educators on the link between trauma and behavioral problems. If you need immediate help, contact Nexus Teen Academy today, we have teen mental health treatment programs that can provide assistance.
Understanding Trauma in Teen Girls
Trauma or a traumatic event is any event that threatens the safety of one’s life. Traumatic life events cause heightened emotions, distress, and fear.
Trauma is a complex feeling that includes a variety of experiences. It differs from normal stressful situations since it can impact one’s emotional, cognitive, and physical health. They can make your teen girl struggle with emotional regulation or develop mental health disorders such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or depression. As a parent or guardian, it is important to recognize the signs of trauma early and learn how to take care of your teen girl’s health.
Common Causes of Trauma in Teen Girls
Some common causes of trauma in teen girls include the following:
Physical and emotional abuse: Physical and emotional abuse can come from their parents, relatives, peers, or society at large.
Bullying and harassment: During adolescence, many teenage girls are bullied or harassed for one reason or the other. They are teased for not developing at the pace of their peers or for looking a certain way. These comments can be very damaging to your teen’s mental health and may make them develop trauma. Being bullied physically also increases the likelihood of your teen developing symptoms of trauma.
Social exclusion: Like all humans, teen girls crave inclusion in a social group. If your teen is continuously excluded from social circles, they may develop trauma. Their trauma can be similar to trauma caused by childhood neglect.
Neglect: Humans, especially children, require social connection. When children are neglected by their caregivers at a young age, they develop characteristics that mirror trauma symptoms. They can develop severe separation anxiety or Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED). DSED makes children unable to form emotional connections with caregivers, causing them to have control issues. DSED and separation anxiety are associated with trauma from neglect.
Family instability: Not all girls can say they come from stable families. Some families experience challenges such as divorce, drug and substance abuse, and strained relationships. If your teen has grown up in such an environment, they may develop symptoms of trauma.
Sexual violence: Sexual harassment and sexual violence are among the most common causes of trauma in teen girls. As teen girls develop, they may experience sexual violence from relatives, peers, and even teachers. Sexual violence and harassment can lead to feelings of grief and shame that may develop into trauma and PTSD.
Accidents and extreme weather events: Day-to-day activities such as taking a trip to school may turn traumatic. Car accidents are some of the most common ways teens develop trauma. The force and shock associated with car accidents leave a lasting impact on your teen’s physical and psychological health. Freak weather events like hurricanes and flooding may also cause your teen tremendous distress.
How Trauma Impacts Teen Girls’ Behavior
Trauma affects your teen’s feelings of safety, well-being, and trust. Trauma can be a hard feeling to understand since it affects everyone differently. Some teens may feel sad, guilty, depressed, and scared, while others dissociate from the experience. Trauma also causes lasting effects that permeate different aspects of day-to-day life. The following are some of the ways trauma affects and impacts a teen girl’s life:
Brain development: During adolescence, your teen’s brain rapidly develops and increases its white matter. While there is no conclusive way of describing the impact of trauma on the brain, it is widely accepted that trauma causes long-term changes in the brain’s stress circuitry. Specifically, trauma causes dysregulation in cortisol and norepinephrine production in the brain. This may make your teen’s emotional regulation poor and more erratic. Normal day-to-day situations may trigger fear-related responses, causing your teen to struggle with daily tasks.
Academic performance: Your teen’s academic performance may decline after experiencing a traumatic event. Trauma causes adverse emotional reactions that may make it difficult for your teen to concentrate in class. If your teen’s trauma is caused by bullying, it may make it more difficult on your teen’s mental health since they have to be in the environment that caused them trauma in the first place.
Interpersonal relationships: Trauma may strain your teen’s interpersonal relationships. Many people, including parents and guardians, do not understand how to handle their teen’s trauma appropriately. They often brush it off as a phase and do not pay attention to their teen’s needs. Every parent and caregiver must educate themselves on how to help teens who have experienced adverse or traumatic life events.
Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms of Teen Girl Trauma
Some common signs and symptoms of PTSD or trauma include the following:
If your teen exhibits these symptoms, it is crucial to address the problem immediately.
Trauma and Risky Behavior
If your teen has trauma or PTSD, then it is likely they will engage in risky behavior. Among teens, risky behavior includes the following:
Having unprotected sex
Drunk driving
Getting into fights
Drug and substance abuse
Teens engage in such behavior to cope with their trauma as a form of unhealthy coping. It can be difficult for teens to manage their emotions, and therefore, they resort to engaging in risky behavior to forget about the trauma or to cope with difficult emotions. They continue with this behavior and get into a destructive cycle of pain and unhealthy coping mechanisms. This vicious cycle prevents them from healing.
The Importance of Trauma-Informed Care
Teens who have experienced a traumatic event require trauma-induced care. This form of treatment recognizes that trauma affects the brain and may cause various physical and emotional symptoms. Trauma-induced care helps professionals understand what treatment or healing path best suits your teen girl. It also prevents active re-traumatization and ensures transparency and trust.
By incorporating principles like safety, transparency, collaboration, empowerment, and responsiveness, trauma-informed care improves the well-being of many teen girls. It validates their feelings and builds a community around them to offer support. Trauma causes many teens to feel unsafe, but with this type of approach, they feel safe and protected.
Some benefits of trauma-informed care include the following:
Improves patient outcomes
Builds healthy and meaningful relationships between patients and professionals
Builds trust in the healthcare system
Equips teens with healthy coping mechanisms
Promotes collaboration and peer support
How Parents Can Support a Teen Girl Affected by Trauma
The first step toward a healing journey is recognizing the problem. You cannot support your teen effectively if you do not recognize that they are suffering. As a parent or guardian, you should recognize when your teen is distressed and react appropriately.
Create a safe environment: Trauma and anxiety are highly intertwined. Teens who have experienced trauma often feel fearful of situations or normal activities. As a parent or guardian, it is your responsibility to make your home safe and secure. If the traumatic event occurred at home, you need to find strategies to prevent re-traumatization. This can be done by showing your teen that they are protected from any intruders or relatives who caused their trauma. A safe and supportive environment can also be achieved through showing affection and empathy. This builds a strong bond between you and your teen girl, thus making them feel safe.
Be supportive of your teen: If your teen reaches out for validation or connection, support them without pushing too hard. Teens heal at their own pace, and you should ensure you hold their hand every step of the way. Being seen, heard, and supported can quickly improve your teen’s long-term health outcomes.
Recognize when to seek professional help: If your teen’s mental and physical health is hard to treat at home, it may be time to seek out professionals. Professionals can utilize various techniques to improve your teen’s outcomes.
Teen Trauma and PTSD Treatment at Nexus Teen Academy
Professional help is crucial for trauma-related behavioral issues, as professionals can offer specialized care to help your teen improve. At Nexus Teen Academy, we offer various services tailored towards teen mental health treatment. Our highly experienced staff utilizes techniques like trauma-informed care to assist teens struggling with trauma-related behavioral issues.
At Nexus Teen Academy, we offer tailor-made treatment modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), individual therapy, group therapy, and residential treatment for troubled teen girls. These treatment modalities are customized for every teen to ensure the best possible outcome.
Treatment modalities like CBT were designed to help teens understand that emotions and behavior are connected. A change in emotions can lead to a positive change in behavior. CBT is well suited for trauma-related behavioral issues since it focuses on helping teens change their negative emotional responses. On the flip side, DBT helps teens accept their negative behavioral patterns as they work to change. It teaches them mindfulness, emotional regulation, and problem-solving.
At Nexus Teen Academy, we offer high-quality residential treatment for teen girls in Arizona. If your teen girl went through a very traumatic experience, they may need residential treatment. Contact us now for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the most common behavioral issues related to trauma?
Some common behavioral issues related to trauma include drug and substance abuse, conduct issues, anxiety, and risky sexual behavior.
Can trauma be treated without professional help?
Yes, trauma may be managed without professional help, depending on its severity. However, addressing these difficult feelings with a professional may be the best way to treat trauma.
How does trauma-informed care differ from traditional therapy?
Trauma-informed care differs from normal therapy as it offers a more holistic treatment. It focuses on all aspects of life to help both teens and their doctors understand the best healing and treatment path. It considers different factors that may not be appreciated in normal therapy.
Can trauma be completely healed, or will it affect my teen for life?
Healing from trauma can be difficult. However, it is possible to heal from trauma.
Executive Director Hannah Carr-Unquera, LPC and Nexus Teen Academy
Five honest questions. You’ll get a clear read on where things stand, and a licensed counselor can walk you through the next step. Private, no obligation.
Your reading
Here’s where things stand
If your teen is in immediate danger, call or text 988 or 911 now.
The Role of Trauma in Teen Girls’ Behavioral Issues
FACT CHECKED
The Nexus Teen Academy editorial and clinical team is dedicated to providing informative and accurate content to help families who are struggling with adolescent behavioral health problems. The editorial team works directly with the clinical team to ensure information is accurate and up-to-date.
To do this, our team uses the following editorial guidelines:
Clinically reviewed by Executive Director Hannah Carr-Unquera, LPC
Executive Director Hannah Carr-Unquera, LPC
Hannah graduated from Arizona State University with her Bachelor’s in Psychology and Master’s in Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arizona. She began her work as a therapist 12 years ago in South Phoenix with an intensive outpatient program for teens and their families. She joined Nexus in the residential program as the clinical director, eventually being promoted to the executive director, creating and building the clinical program structure and a strong culture focused on redirecting the trajectory of young lives.
Published By Nexus Teen Academy
Nexus Teen Academy
The Nexus Teen Academy Editorial Staff is composed of writers, editors, and clinical reviewers with many years of experience writing about mental health and behavioral health treatment. Our team utilizes peer-reviewed, clinical studies from sources like SAMHSA to ensure we provide the most accurate and current information.
Published On November 25, 2024
Table of Contents
Trauma is common among teens. It can arise from day-to-day interactions, family dynamics, dangerous situations, and more. If your teen was exposed to any kind of trauma as a child, it may reemerge during adolescence as your teen undergoes emotional, physical, and cognitive changes.
According to a study conducted in 2013, it is estimated that 62% of teens have been exposed to at least one traumatic incident. Of those sampled, 19% were exposed to more than one traumatic event. These traumatic events may cause your teen girl to develop behavioral issues such as engaging in risky behavior, substance abuse, isolation, and more. This article seeks to guide parents, caregivers, and educators on the link between trauma and behavioral problems. If you need immediate help, contact Nexus Teen Academy today, we have teen mental health treatment programs that can provide assistance.
Understanding Trauma in Teen Girls
Trauma or a traumatic event is any event that threatens the safety of one’s life. Traumatic life events cause heightened emotions, distress, and fear.
Trauma is a complex feeling that includes a variety of experiences. It differs from normal stressful situations since it can impact one’s emotional, cognitive, and physical health. They can make your teen girl struggle with emotional regulation or develop mental health disorders such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or depression. As a parent or guardian, it is important to recognize the signs of trauma early and learn how to take care of your teen girl’s health.
Common Causes of Trauma in Teen Girls
Some common causes of trauma in teen girls include the following:
How Trauma Impacts Teen Girls’ Behavior
Trauma affects your teen’s feelings of safety, well-being, and trust. Trauma can be a hard feeling to understand since it affects everyone differently. Some teens may feel sad, guilty, depressed, and scared, while others dissociate from the experience. Trauma also causes lasting effects that permeate different aspects of day-to-day life. The following are some of the ways trauma affects and impacts a teen girl’s life:
Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms of Teen Girl Trauma
Some common signs and symptoms of PTSD or trauma include the following:
If your teen exhibits these symptoms, it is crucial to address the problem immediately.
Trauma and Risky Behavior
If your teen has trauma or PTSD, then it is likely they will engage in risky behavior. Among teens, risky behavior includes the following:
Teens engage in such behavior to cope with their trauma as a form of unhealthy coping. It can be difficult for teens to manage their emotions, and therefore, they resort to engaging in risky behavior to forget about the trauma or to cope with difficult emotions. They continue with this behavior and get into a destructive cycle of pain and unhealthy coping mechanisms. This vicious cycle prevents them from healing.
The Importance of Trauma-Informed Care
Teens who have experienced a traumatic event require trauma-induced care. This form of treatment recognizes that trauma affects the brain and may cause various physical and emotional symptoms. Trauma-induced care helps professionals understand what treatment or healing path best suits your teen girl. It also prevents active re-traumatization and ensures transparency and trust.
By incorporating principles like safety, transparency, collaboration, empowerment, and responsiveness, trauma-informed care improves the well-being of many teen girls. It validates their feelings and builds a community around them to offer support. Trauma causes many teens to feel unsafe, but with this type of approach, they feel safe and protected.
Some benefits of trauma-informed care include the following:
How Parents Can Support a Teen Girl Affected by Trauma
The first step toward a healing journey is recognizing the problem. You cannot support your teen effectively if you do not recognize that they are suffering. As a parent or guardian, you should recognize when your teen is distressed and react appropriately.
Teen Trauma and PTSD Treatment at Nexus Teen Academy
Professional help is crucial for trauma-related behavioral issues, as professionals can offer specialized care to help your teen improve. At Nexus Teen Academy, we offer various services tailored towards teen mental health treatment. Our highly experienced staff utilizes techniques like trauma-informed care to assist teens struggling with trauma-related behavioral issues.
At Nexus Teen Academy, we offer tailor-made treatment modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), individual therapy, group therapy, and residential treatment for troubled teen girls. These treatment modalities are customized for every teen to ensure the best possible outcome.
Treatment modalities like CBT were designed to help teens understand that emotions and behavior are connected. A change in emotions can lead to a positive change in behavior. CBT is well suited for trauma-related behavioral issues since it focuses on helping teens change their negative emotional responses. On the flip side, DBT helps teens accept their negative behavioral patterns as they work to change. It teaches them mindfulness, emotional regulation, and problem-solving.
At Nexus Teen Academy, we offer high-quality residential treatment for teen girls in Arizona. If your teen girl went through a very traumatic experience, they may need residential treatment. Contact us now for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Some common behavioral issues related to trauma include drug and substance abuse, conduct issues, anxiety, and risky sexual behavior.
Yes, trauma may be managed without professional help, depending on its severity. However, addressing these difficult feelings with a professional may be the best way to treat trauma.
Trauma-informed care differs from normal therapy as it offers a more holistic treatment. It focuses on all aspects of life to help both teens and their doctors understand the best healing and treatment path. It considers different factors that may not be appreciated in normal therapy.
Healing from trauma can be difficult. However, it is possible to heal from trauma.