Ways to Cope with PTSD

By Teen Rehab

PTSD can be traumatic for both the individual suffering and those close to them. Does your teen have PTSD? Here are some tips to help them.

• Encourage open communication

  By Teen Rehab

  Guilt and shame are unfortunate side effects of traumatic experiences. Encouraging open communication can help teens feel released of this burden and unashamed of their emotions.

• Practice active listening

  By Teen Rehab

  Along with encouraging your teen to share about their emotions and struggles, be sure that you’re practicing active listening. This will help your teen feel validated, secure and supported, allowing them to work through troubling emotions easier.

• Recognize triggers

  By Teen Rehab

  Teens who have lived through traumatic experiences may be triggered by thoughts, places, people or circumstances that remind them of the incident. Learn what these triggers are so that you can offer your teen support proactively.

• Support expression

  By Teen Rehab

  Teens may be embarrassed by the emotions they feel after a traumatic incident. Encourage your teen to express these in a healthy way and to not hold them inside. From there, help your teen develop strategies to work through these emotions in a positive way when they arise.

• Create routine

  By Teen Rehab

  Put very simply, trauma can be seen as a negative, unwanted interruption to an individual’s every day life. As a result, try to build routine with your teen. If possible, allow the routine to be as similar as it might have been before the traumatic incident. This pattern will restore a sense of comfort and normalcy for all those affected.

• Learn about PTSD

  By Teen Rehab

  One of them biggest hurdles to face while living with a mental health condition is the stigma surrounding it. Be sure to learn about PTSD and the trauma your teen has experienced and teach them about its effects as well. This will help them know that their reactions are real and valid and not something that’s unnatural.

• Ask for help

  By Teen Rehab

  You and your teen will not be able to cope successfully on your own. If your teen has PTSD, seek help from a therapist or mental health professional. They will help your teen work through all of these coping mechanisms and more.