Many people with mental health conditions as adults have experienced trauma as an adolescent. Experiencing a traumatic event(s) as a teenager can increase the chances of that individual developing a drug or alcohol addiction, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, physical issues, and many other mental health disorders.
Since many times teenagers do not speak about their trauma and have difficulty recognizing it, it’s important to learn the signs and behaviors that are associated with trauma. This way, treatment and healing can be provided early and reduce the chances of the teenager carrying the effects of trauma into their adult years.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is defined as an event or circumstance that results in physical harm, emotional harm, and/or life-threatening harm. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) states that trauma can have lasting effects on an individual’s mental health, physical health, emotional health, social well-being, and spiritual well-being.
Anyone at any age can experience trauma. Unresolved childhood trauma can have lasting effects on a person and can stay with them into adulthood, significantly affecting their mental health.
Signs of Trauma
The signs of trauma can include a combination of the below symptoms and behaviors.
- Dramatic changes in mood
- Anxiety
- Erratic behavior
- Eating disorders
- Fear
- Becoming easily agitated
- Irritable
- Lack of confidence, low self esteem
- Avoiding activities that remind them of the traumatic experience
- Difficulty connecting socially
- Physical symptoms, including chronic pain and autoimmune disorders
It’s common for adolescents to initially not want to speak about any trauma they have experienced. In many cases, they might not even realize they have experienced trauma, making it even more important for parents and caregivers to be aware of the above symptoms and behaviors.
Professional help is almost always needed for the symptoms to improve and for healing to begin. Treatment often includes individual therapy and can often include family therapy or group therapy.
Types of Traumatic Events
There are many types of events that can cause trauma. It’s important to note that what is considered traumatic for one person might not be for another. Trauma is a highly personalized experience and almost always requires the help of mental health professionals.
Examples of traumatic events include (but are not limited to):
- Emotional or verbal abuse
- Childhood abuse
- Terminal illness
- Domestic violence
- Sexual abuse
- Accidents
- Natural disasters
- Physical assault
- Bullying or ongoing harassment
Past trauma has a way of sneaking up on people. As mentioned, many individuals, especially teenagers, might not have realized the event(s) they experienced growing up was serious. This is one of the main reasons why so many adults have mental health conditions that are a result of childhood. If you suspect your child or loved one might need treatment for trauma, contact a mental health professional or doctor.
How Teenage Trauma Affects Adulthood
There are two primary ways teenage trauma affects adulthood, which include increasing the chance of the individual developing an addiction to drugs or alcohol, and the individual developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Physical issues can also arise, including developing chronic pain that can’t be explained by a medical professional, the development of autoimmune diseases, and other many other health conditions that can come up.
While not every person who has a drug addiction or PTSD has experienced trauma, this is the case for many adults. This is due to the fact that our brains adapt easily to many situations and environments – and this is also true with trauma. A teenage brain is still fully developing in many ways. Therefore, going through a traumatic event can significantly impact the brain’s development. This is part of what can lead to addiction or other mental health conditions.
Additionally, sometimes what feels traumatic as a teenager might not be considered traumatic as an adult. This is because teenagers are at an age where they are still very much learning about the world and have had more limited life experiences than an adult.
How Trauma Impacts Brain Development
Trauma changes the way the brain develops, especially when it happens during the teenage years. The brain is still forming connections, learning how to process emotions, and developing coping mechanisms. When a person experiences trauma, their brain adapts to survive, often by becoming hyper-alert to danger or shutting down in response to stress. This rewiring can lead to long-term emotional and behavioral struggles.
The amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for detecting threats and triggering fear responses, can become overactive after trauma. This makes a person more likely to feel anxious, on edge, or easily triggered by situations that remind them of their past experiences. At the same time, the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for logic, decision-making, and impulse control, may not develop properly. This can make it harder to regulate emotions, think through consequences, or handle stressful situations in a healthy way.
For some, these brain changes lead to constant anxiety, emotional outbursts, or trouble trusting others. For others, it can cause emotional numbness, where they disconnect from their feelings to avoid pain. Over time, this can increase the risk of mental health conditions like depression, PTSD, and addiction.
Healing from trauma isn’t just about “getting over it”—it’s about retraining the brain to feel safe again. With therapy, support, and healthy coping strategies, it’s possible to form new connections in the brain, helping people regain control over their emotions and reactions.
Substance Abuse and Trauma
When teenagers experience trauma it can drastically affect their ways of coping with emotions throughout life. This might cause them as an adult to shut down, to become depressed, and to turn to drugs or alcohol as a way of dealing with something difficult.
They might view their drinking or drug use as just “fun” or a way to de-stress, but oftentimes the substance abuse can quickly become an addiction. Usually, the case is the adult is drinking or using drugs as a way to “cope” with something in life that feels uncomfortable. They haven’t developed any health skillsets for coping with life, therefore turning to drugs and alcohol.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma
PTSD is a serious mental health condition and is common in individuals who have experienced trauma. It occurs when the person continues to experience the ongoing effects of the traumatic event. This can be flashbacks to childhood memories, difficulty sleeping, severe anger, self-destructive behaviors, significant changes in mood, depression, and many others.
Treatment for PTSD includes a variety of therapies to help individuals understand their trauma and develop healthy coping skills so they can live a happy life.
Why Some People Don’t Recognize Their Trauma
Many people don’t recognize their trauma because it doesn’t always look the way they expect it to. When people think of trauma, they often picture extreme events like physical abuse, war, or life-threatening accidents. But trauma isn’t just about what happens—it’s about how a person experiences it. Something that might seem small or insignificant to one person can have a lasting impact on someone else.
For teenagers, trauma can be especially hard to identify because they may not have the emotional awareness to understand how an event has affected them. If they grew up in a chaotic or unhealthy environment, they might believe their experiences were “normal” simply because they didn’t know anything different. Emotional neglect, constant criticism, or feeling unsafe at home can all be traumatic, but if these things were part of daily life, a person may not see them as unusual.
The brain also has ways of protecting itself from painful memories. Some people block out parts of their past, while others minimize what happened, convincing themselves it “wasn’t that bad.” In some cases, people blame themselves rather than recognizing they were hurt by someone else’s actions.
It’s common for trauma to show up later in life through anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, or unhealthy coping mechanisms like substance use. Someone might not connect their struggles to past experiences because they never labeled those experiences as traumatic. Understanding trauma isn’t always immediate—it often takes time, self-reflection, or working with a professional to recognize how the past is affecting the present.
Get Treatment For Trauma Today
At Elevate Recovery Center in Massachusetts we provide evidence-based treatment solutions and intensive interventions for youth and adults with chronic psychiatric and behavioral disorders, including OCD, anxiety disorders, and other mental health disorders. Our primary goal is to offer a safe and secure environment while advancing each individual’s path toward wellness and recovery. Contact our team today.
