Elevations RTC Observes National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Month
Syracuse, UT (PRWEB) June 29, 2015 -- Elevations RTC, a premier residential treatment center for young men and women ages 13 - 17, lends its support to National Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Elevations, a leading facility for trauma treatment of teenagers, understands that individuals with PTSD often go undiagnosed and therefore do not receive treatment.
According to the National Center for PTSD, 15% to 43% of girls and 14% to 43% of boys will experience a traumatic event. Of those young girls and boys who have experienced trauma, 3% to 15% of girls and 1%-6% of boys develop PTSD. As many as 30-60% of teens and children who have survived specific traumas develop PTSD.
While a high number of teens will experience trauma, most do not seek the requisite treatment that will best enable them to recover. In fact, those suffering a traumatic event might not show symptoms for weeks and months after an event. Families often ask: how do i know if my teen might be struggling with traumatic stress?
A teenager might show greater irritability, explode in anger, struggle with sleeping patterns, lose interest in activities that were previously enjoyable, or engage in reckless behaviors. Physically, a child who might be struggling with PTSD might suffer from headaches or stomach aches, have an altered metabolism, or resist physical contact. Psychosocially, a child may demonstrate low self-esteem, suffer from nightmares, or begin to worry excessively, particularly about death.
“At Elevations RTC, we create an environment that promotes the healing process. The main goal of our program is to help teens develop an understanding that there are solutions to the struggles that complicate their lives,” says Judith Jacques, Executive Director of Elevations RTC. “Our program is based around a peer culture model that encourages our students to support each other throughout the program. Informing them about PTSD and other struggles helps create this supportive environment.”
Elevations RTC uses several different types of therapy to treat PTSD. These include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is used to challenge distortions in thought, form exposure strategies and create a narrative for the trauma. Elevations also uses Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) which helps teens gain coping strategies to manage emotions and stressors, as well as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocess (EMDR) to reprocess the trauma.
“Teens afflicted by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have symptoms similar to those seen in adults with PTSD. They may have disruptive, violent outbursts and feelings of great anxiety, which may affect sleep and concentration”, commented Phyllis Tronrud, CMHC and Primary Therapist at Elevations RTC. “It’s vitally important for those with PTSD to get treated as early as possible, and we provide some of the best care at Elevations RTC.”
Elevations staff and students have signed a pledge to promote awareness of PTSD at the National Center for PTSD.
Below are resources recommended by Elevations RTC for additional information about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder:
National Center for PTSD: (http://www.ptsd.va.gov/)
National Institute of Mental Health: (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml#pub2)
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Elevations RTC is a residential treatment center for young men and women ages 13 - 17. Located outside Salt Lake City, Utah, Elevations offers guidance, support and relief to young men and women struggling with issues like trauma, depression, mood disorders, behavioral problems, and substance abuse. Elevations RTC provides specialized, clinically intensive programs to struggling teens. For more information, please call 1-855-290-9681.
John Gordon, Elevations RTC, http://www.elevationsrtc.com, +1 6177924121, [email protected]
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