Understanding Reactions to Trauma

Developmental maturity and experience can influence reactions to trauma. Adolescents who have experienced trauma are especially challenged by their reactions to trauma. They may feel like they are “going crazy” or feel different from everyone else. They may be embarrassed by their fear and feel that their reactions are childish. These reactions may lead them to isolate themselves from others. After experiencing a traumatic event, adolescents become more aware when family, the school, or community fail to protect or carry out justice. Adolescents may respond to their experience by reacting precariously by either engaging in unsafe behaviors that put themselves and others in danger or go to the other extreme of avoidance. The avoidance behaviors may go unnoticed. For example, an adolescent might bury themselves in school work to avoid socializing with peers or they may experience sleep disturbance, which may also go unnoticed because they hide behind studying, watching television, or engaging in other unhealthy behaviors as a way to avoid reacting to trauma they may have experienced. Adolescents may also turn to alcohol and drugs as another way to avoid post-trauma emotions and physical responses.¹

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