What are the signs of post traumatic stress in adolescents?

Post traumatic stress in adolescents is commonly the same as adults and middle school. Retelling the story over and over again, or someone saying they’re feeling tense all the time. Temperature deregulation. Either they’re extremely hot, or extremely cold; there’s nothing in the middle. Manic signs, where a person’s mood changes. It’s up and then it’s down. Other signs can be giving their possessions away, which are signs of suicide. Signs of depression as well. Things that are persistent, that are just not going away. What I usually tell people is that after an event, it’s okay to have the butterflies, as long as they are all flying in the same direction. As soon as they start to collide, then maybe we need some long-term help.

This video clip is part of the series “Mental Health During A School Crisis“.

Michael Dorn and Sonayia Shepherd (School Safety Analysts) gives expert video advice on: What is a school “crisis intervention team”?;  What steps should a school take to minimize trauma in a crisis?;  What are some common responses after a school crisis? and more…