From social media to the halls of the school, mental illnesses are becoming more prominent in conversations. Although it is has been more widely accepted, there has always been a negative stigma attached to it. These affect millions of people and being in high school makes it even more strenuous as it is hard to have peers and faculty to understand an illness that can’t be seen.

PTSD is one disorder that is not easily recognized or diagnosed at first, but it does exist and affects many teenagers. Many will experience dire situations in life but are able to move past it eventually in time. However those affected by PTSD show physical and emotional symptoms due to a highly traumatic event. Those events make it near impossible for a teen to cope as instead of just thinking of the event, they constantly re-experience it and fear reliving the trauma.

Studies show that about 15 percent to 43 percent of girls and 14 percent to 43 percent of boys go through at least one trauma. Of those children and teens who have had a trauma, 3 percent to 15 percent of girls and 1 percent to 6 percent of boys develop PTSD. Many teens have PTSD and don’t even know it, making it hard to identify and acknowledge. It is described as a faulty fire alarm that constantly goes off but is really just a false alarm. It keeps going off and off and because it is hard to recognize, so a person with PTSD who is unaware will never get the proper treatment or develop the necessary coping mechanisms.

Flashbacks, becoming scared easily, irritability, impulsiveness, depression, headaches, trouble concentrating, and night terrors are just a few of the common symptoms experienced. They see the world as an unsafe place and live in constant fear. Early detection is necessary to reduce symptoms and ensure the path back to emotional recovery.

It’s hard for many teens to admit they even have some form of mental illness because they don’t want to seem as erratic and unhinged as it is portrayed commonly. There are still some people who will attach a negative connotation to the label, but that is on them. PTSD is just one of the many disorders people battle and teens need to be aware of it to help themselves or help someone they love.

Sincerely,

Sydney