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Teen PTSD Treatment

PTSD has life-altering ramifications and can significantly impair teenager’s ability to succeed in the world, there is treatment available. SunCloud Health treats Teen PTSD with individualized treatment plans utilizing our proven integrative model.

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a complex condition that causes an individuals brain to fixate or get stuck in a fear state or danger mode. PTSD in teens is far from uncommon.

teen ptsd treatment SunCloud Health Northbrook IL

Did you know that studies demonstrate 14% to 43% of children under 18 experience trauma and 1% to 15% of children who experience trauma will develop PTSD? The good news is Teen PTSD treatment will help teenagers regain their self-confidence, trust, and healthy outlook on life.

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Dr. Alexander Chevalier, Medical Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at SunCloud Health, details the questions parents should be asking when looking for a treatment provider.

VIDEO: DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO PULL MY KID OUT OF SCHOOL FOR TREATMENT?

Hear from Dr. Chevalier on the balance school and extracurricular activities with treatment. In most cases, coursework is unaffected and can be improved while a student is out of school receiving treatment.

Read on to learn more about PTSD and how SunCloud Health’s group of experts can help teens resolve the debilitating internal conflicts caused by PTSD.

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Does My Teen Have Mental Health Issues Related to Teen PTSD?

PTSD is relatively common in teenagers who have experienced a trauma with 1% to 15% of teens with trauma developing PTSD. Many teenagers who develop PTSD have lived through an ongoing traumatic experience such as neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, or mental abuse. Other teenagers develop teen PTSD from witnessing a natural disaster or experiencing a loss such a death in the family or the death of a close friend.

The difference between teen PTSD vs teen trauma is that teen trauma is the experience of the trauma while teen PTSD is a mental health condition that develops because of the trauma experience. The National Institute of Health found that 5% of teenagers between the ages of 13-18 had severe impairment due to teen PTSD.

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Why Treat Teenage PTSD?

Treating teenage PTSD is important because PTSD is often a recurring mental condition. If teenagers are not treated properly and a full recovery is not made, there is a strong possibility of the disorder returning. When teenagers enter treatment specifically for PTSD, they are more likely to make a full recovery. As time goes on, treating PTSD is more and more difficult. It’s important for parents who notice symptoms of PTSD in their teenagers to seek treatment immediately.

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One of the most formative and difficult times in our lives are those teenage years. Teenagers are experiencing stress, anxiety, mood shifts, hormone changes, peer pressure, identify questions, and so many other stressors. Teenagers who are able to get treatment early for PTSD can avoid developing some of the more severe symptoms. If your teen has experienced a traumatic event or exhibited symptoms of teenage PTSD, it’s time to help them help themselves through a qualified PTSD treatment center.

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When teenagers enter treatment specifically for PTSD, they are more likely to make a full recovery. Let them know they are not alone.

Contact Us or Call:

1-866-729-1012

What are the Symptoms of Teenage PTSD?

Teenagers are an age group where pouting, sulking, and mood shifts are common. Symptoms of teenage PTSD can be tricky to spot and we recommend parents bring in any teenager who has had exposure to a traumatic event.

These are the most common symptoms that parents notice in teens at home:

  • Flashbacks
  • Nightmares
  • Anxiety attacks and Panic attacks
  • Insomnia
  • Difficulty making decisions
  • Aggressive behavior or Irritability
  • Lack of enjoyment in activities they used to love
  • Constant “on edge”
  • Avoiding the place or people where the traumatic event occurred
  • Emotional numbing where emotions are not discussed or displayed, “zoning out”
  • Inappropriate anger and quick to anger
  • Detachment from friends and family, Self-isolating

PTSD typically does not resolve on its own, but worsens over time and can reoccur if it does spontaneously resolve itself. Treatment is the only way to ensure that your teenager can reclaim their life after experiencing a traumatic event. Teenagers who do not receive treatment have difficulty living a fulfilling life and are often mistrustful of others, exhibit low self-esteem, suffer from depression and anxiety, and may engage in self-destructive behavior.

Should you get Professional Counseling/Treatment for Teenagers Who Have Experienced PTSD?

Some parents believe that their teenager can find teen PTSD treatment through their school guidance counselor. This approach can feel more comfortable because of the informal setting, however, school guidance counselors do not have the necessary training to treat PTSD. The primary challenge is that the school counselor rarely has the necessary qualifications to treat PTSD.

With PTSD, it’s important to note that each person will need individual treatment and one modality may not be a fit for each teenager. Most PTSD programs begin with CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) because of its efficacy, which includes cognitive restructuring and exposure therapy. CBT is not a requirement for school counselors and even those who have trained in CBT typically use that training to help students with social anxiety. PTSD is a more severe mental health condition and it is best treated by a specialist. If you had a severe heart condition, you would go to a cardiologist and not to your general practitioner for surgical treatment. The same theory applies to PTSD treatment. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a more severe condition and our specialists can provide multiple modalities of treatment, carefully constructed to fit each individual’s unique treatment needs.

PTSD can also be particularly difficult for teenagers because many have difficulty sharing with their therapist about the traumatic event. Sharing with a school guidance counselor can feel uncomfortable because the student may see the counselor in the school after treatment or worry about other students listening in. Our facilities and settings are private and comfortable, and all of our teen therapists are trained in all major PTSD treatment modalities. We work with teenagers in the way that feels most comfortable to them. Experience in treating trauma is critical when it comes to therapists helping teenagers make a full recovery.

VIDEO: What we do in Treatment at SunCloud Health

Treatment is the only way to ensure that your teenager can reclaim their life after experiencing a traumatic event. Let them know they are not alone.

Contact Us or Call:

1-866-729-1012

Teen PTSD Treatment at SunCloud Health

We offer PTSD therapy for teens that makes use of multiple modalities with our proven integrated model and techniques. We approach teen PTSD treatment from a number of therapeutic angles to create a customized plan that is best suited to the teens needs.

Our PTSD program provides services for teenagers who have been through domestic abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse situations as well as those who are experiencing death of a loved one or who have witnessed a natural disaster.

Our team of psychiatrists, registered dieticians, psychologists and therapists specialize in a wide range of adolescent disorders. We take a dual diagnosis approach treating co-occurring disorders as well as identifying and treating the underlying root cause of each issue. We help teens feel empowered, supported, and connected, building healthy skills that will stay with the for a lifetime.

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Dr. Kim Dennis, MD, CEDS, explains how SunCloud Health treats co-occurring disorders.

PTSD treatment gives teenagers a fresh start. National averages for recovery are 20% of all cases recovering within 3 months and 50% of all cases recovering within 24 months (with treatment). The full timetable for recovery depends on several factors including the nature of the cause(s), current mental state, participation and finding the proper treatment modalities. 

VIDEO: What to expect when starting in our adolescent program

Meet our Adolescent Treatment Team

  • Kimberly Dennis, MD, CEDS
    Kimberly Dennis, MD, CEDS
    Chief Medical Officer, CEO and Co-founder
  • Alexander Chevalier, MD
    Alexander Chevalier, MD
    Medical Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Johnathan Coleman, MD
    Johnathan Coleman, MD
    Psychiatrist
  • Mike Mehta, DO, MBA
    Mike Mehta, DO, MBA
    Psychiatrist
  • Hope Kravetz, MA, LCPC
    Hope Kravetz, MA, LCPC
    Director of Clinical Liaison and Educational Services & Director of Adolescent Outreach
  • Stephanie Fleck
    Stephanie Fleck
    Education Coordinator
  • Dr. Nicole Bishop
    Dr. Nicole Bishop
    Psychologist, Clinical Director

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Mike Mehta, DO, MBA, Psychiatrist at SunCloud Health, on what he likes about child and adolescent psychiatry.

SunCloud Health Accreditations and Locationsjoint commission national quality seal

We are accredited, certified, licensed by the state and approved by the Joint Commission, a member of REDC, and an executive member of the Eating Disorders Coalition. SunCloud Health has four convenient locations in Chicagoland making it easy to get Teen PTSD treatment without traveling for hours. We offer Teen PTSD treatment in Chicago, Naperville, and Northbrook.

The sooner PTSD is addressed, the sooner your teenager can fully engage in life. Get your teenager the PTSD treatment that they need.

Contact Us or Call:

1-866-729-1012

If your teenager is suffering from PTSD, we can help them recover and enjoy their life once again without the debilitating symptoms of PTSD. Our knowledgeable experts are here to help guide you and your teen throughout this process.

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