Page 11 - Teens and Mental Health

anxiety disorders, so much so that PTSD was once classified as an
anxiety disorder itself. The DSM’s development of a PTSD category
emphasizes PTSD’s defining feature: a link between one’s symptoms
and a traumatic event.

PTSD occurs in response to traumatic events involving “actual or

threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence,” according to the
DSM’s definition. Examples might include natural disasters, violent
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crimes, sexual abuse, war, or terrorist attacks. Researchers have
found that compared to survivors of other types of traumas, survivors
of rape and assault are at an especially high risk of PTSD.

Symptoms of PTSD include intense fear and anxiety, feelings of
guilt and self-blame, agitated behavior, social withdrawal, and feelings

of emotional numbness. People with the disorder often show an
inability to remember key details of the traumatic event yet persistently
avoid places, people, or situations associated with the triggering
event. They may repeatedly relive the trauma through recurring
flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts and images.

In teens, PTSD is associated with impulsive, self-destructive
behaviors. “Adolescents tend to reenact trauma through risk-taking

behavior that can increase the chances of more stressful
consequences,” Wilmshurst notes. For example, teens suffering from
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PTSD may express their trauma by engaging in high-risk behaviors,
such as unsafe sexual practices, driving recklessly, abusing drugs
or alcohol, running away, or getting in trouble at school or with the
law. “The impact of severe trauma at adolescence can be particularly
devastating and life altering,” Wilmshurst says. 16

Depressive Disorders

Like trauma, depression can have particularly damaging effects
on teens. Researchers have found that teens who have suffered

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