#Signs you may have repressed trauma series#

are wanting to be strong for parents and other family members.

are not wanting to acknowledge the event by talking about it.

are needing more time to absorb what has happened.

Some of the reasons for this include that they: Breakdowns in communicationĪ teenager may be deeply upset by the event, but despite this, they may not want to share their feelings with their parents. This sort of contradictory behaviour can be confusing to the teenager and to the parents trying to help them. Teenagers tend to seesaw between independence and insecurity after a distressing event. By comparing themselves with their friends, a teenager gets a sense of how ‘normal’ they are. A younger child realises they couldn’t survive without their parents, whereas a teenager is more aware of their ability to make it ‘on their own’.įor teenagers, friends and peer groups are very important. Unlike a younger child, a teenager isn’t as dependent on their family. A teenager may lose the confidence they had as a child. The transition from child to adult can be rocky. Typically, this should occur within about one month of the event. In other words, your internal alarms turn off, the high levels of energy subside, and your body re-sets itself to a normal state of balance and equilibrium. The normal healing and recovery process involves your body coming down out of a state of heightened arousal. However, being in emergency mode uses up vital energy supplies and this is why people often feel tired afterwards.

Most people only stay in emergency mode for a short period of time or until the immediate threat has passed. Emergency mode gives people the capacity to access a lot of energy in a short period of time to maximise the chance of survival.

#Signs you may have repressed trauma series#

This is an ‘emergency mode’ that involves a series of internal alarms being turned on. Normal healing and recovery process after traumaĪny event that places your life or the lives of others at risk results in your body going into a state of heightened arousal. difficulties with short-term memory, concentration and problem solving.depression and feelings of hopelessness.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.