Rise of PTSD in Young People: A Growing Concern - Essay Sample

Introduction

There has been a recent rise in the incidences and number of young people suffering from the Post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD). Studies have shown that children and adolescents exposed to trauma are susceptible to PTSD and other harmful cognitive, behavioral, and the mental health incomes. While the estimates of the prevalence of the PTSD mong the children and the teens vary, recent studies have shown that between 30 and 40 percent of them are affected.

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Such variation are based on various factors such as the type of trauma, the frequency and the severity of the exposure to a given traumatic event. Further, the period between present and the time of event exposure was also critical. The co-morbidities between the PTSD and other psychiatric disorders existed. These include the depression, anxiety disorder, the substance abuse and even the ideation about suicide (Brymer, Louie, & Berkowitz, 2019).

While there prevalence of PTSD has been on the increase among the children and young people, a wide range of psychological therapies have been used to treat and prevent the incidences of the PTSD (Brymer, Louie, & Berkowitz, 2019). In a particular study for example, children an adolescent receiving the treatment demonstrated less likelihood of being diagnosed with PTSD Additionally, they presented considerably fewer symptoms of the PTSD up to one month after the treatment.

This is in comparison to those in waiting list or those who had not been subjected to any mode of treatment. Some studies have further reported limited or no evidences for the effectiveness of other psychotherapies approaches and thus suggest that current research focus on the comparison of the various types of the psychological therapy and this will be valuable in providing a good insights regarding the children and adolescents exposed to variety of traumatic events are likely to respond to these therapies.

The effectiveness of the psychological therapies have greatly been determined by numerous factors (Schneider, Grilli, & Schneider, 2013). These include the type of the exposure event, time of the exposure, frequency of the exposure and the age of the victim. As such, numerous studies have always recommended four interventions; all of which are the variations of the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Fundamentally, various categories of the cognitive therapy (CBT) integrate the various types and elements of the treatment used by the cognitive behavioral therapists. On the other hand, the Cognitive Processing Therapy, cognitive therapy and the Prolonged Exposure are all specialised treatments that focus on the particular aspects of the CBT interventions (Brymer, Louie, & Berkowitz, 2019).

Overall, each therapy has demonstrated that it can promote to good treatment outcomes. The psychotherapies have been effective in treating, reducing and preventing the occurrences of various modalities. These have been integral even in symptoms reduction through the exposure to reminders of the traumatic events. Notably, majority of the children and adolescents who had been subjected to various psychological treatment have experienced a reduction of depression, anxiety, substance abuse and even the suicide ideation (Morina, Koerssen, & Pollet, 2016).

Studies have further documented the effectiveness of various psychotherapies in helping the children and adolescent victims manage their problems well and consequently continue leading their normal lives. In fact, most of the available psychotherapies apply the use of a wide range of psychological techniques to help the victims of traumatic events come to terms with the impact and the memories of such traumatic events (Brymer, Louie, & Berkowitz, 2019).

During the process, the therapist can enable the victim adjust and cope with any distressing conditions that one feel while at the same time identifying any unnecessary meditations one has about the traumatic experience. The therapist in this case can facilitate the processes and activities that help the victims gain control of the fear and distress through changing the negative ways about their experiences. For example, victims may subject themselves into the experience of blaming the circumstances that led to the traumatic experience or even the anxiety that it might happen again. As part of the psychotherapies, thus, the victims may be encouraged how to slowly avoid any activities that may be voided since the experience.

The effectiveness of the psychotherapies is critical in treating and preventing the prevalence of the PTSD among the adolescents and children (Hanson, Moreland & Orengo-Aguayo, 2018). While some psychotherapies have not demonstrated substantial efficacy when it comes to the treatment and prevention of the PTSD, current research on the PTSD and related modalities should focus on high-quality trials with an aim of evaluating such effectiveness for both the children and adolescents who have been exposed to trauma. Broadly, these trials should be designed with an aim of ensuring that the participants have no knowledge of whether they are receiving the psychological therapy (Kolaitis, 2017).

Additionally, more efforts should be made so as to ensure that the high rates of the follow-ups beyond the one month after therapy completion. Finally, the studies should focus on the comparison of the various types of the psychological therapy and this will be valuable in providing a good insights regarding the children and adolescents exposed to variety of traumatic events are likely to respond to these therapies.

References

Brymer, M. J., Louie, K., & Berkowitz, S. J. (2019). Prevention of PTSD in Children and Adolescents. Psychiatric Annals, 49(7), 320-324.

Hanson, R. F., Moreland, A. D., & Orengo-Aguayo, R. E. (2018). Treatment of trauma in children and adolescents. In APA handbook of psychopathology: Child and adolescent psychopathology, Vol. 2 (pp. 511-534). American Psychological Association.

Kolaitis, G. (2017). Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 8(sup4), 1351198.

Morina, N., Koerssen, R., & Pollet, T. V. (2016). Interventions for children and adolescents with posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis of comparative outcome studies. Clinical Psychology Review, 47, 41-54.

Schneider, S. J., Grilli, S. F., & Schneider, J. R. (2013). Evidence-based treatments for traumatized children and adolescents. Current Psychiatry Reports, 15(1), 332.