Trauma and Teen Boys: Why Boys in Particular Need the Most Help Coping

A lot of attention is focused on trauma and teen girls: their emotions, trigger events, reactions and responses, effects on development, etc. But, what about teen boys? When it comes to trauma and troubled teens or troubled young adults, it’s the boys that seem to be getting lost in it all – and they are probably the ones who need therapy and counseling the most. Since our society puts so much pressure on teen boys to be tough and strong, teen boys have a genuine fear of divulging issues related to trauma, and it’s time they got help. 

Teen Boys and Trauma: Why Your Son Isn’t Probably Isn’t Telling You Everything 

Trauma affects teen boys differently than it does girls; this is largely because they are taught from toddlerhood to hide their feelings and to suck it up or "be a man." Because of this, any trouble your son is having may not only be a result of trauma he has experienced, but because he won't - or can't - verbalize what is bothering him. 

Ashcreek Ranch Academy, a residential treatment center dedicated to helping teen boys, expresses this problem best when they state that, “the impact of traumatic experiences on adolescent boys has a lot to do with their coping mechanisms and their ‘expected’ or conditioned gender response to traumatic events.” What this means is that your son is unlikely to simply open up and just talk to you on his own, and if he already exhibits behavioral issues, there could be a lot more he’s hiding. 

Dealing with Trauma in Troubled Teens and Troubled Young Adults 

Trauma can cause teen boys to become destructive in many ways, whether engaging in self-destructive behavior or behavior directed more toward others. Teen boys may become severely depressed or angry, or harbor feelings of guilt or shame related to the trauma they’ve experienced (particularly in cases of sexual assault), but they may also exhibit other sudden changes in their behavioral patterns, changes in their grades, and changes in their general attitude as well. This is how they cope with their trauma. 

Additionally, as troubled teen boys try to cope, it is not unusual for them to exhibit violent behavior and attempt suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control, boys are more likely than girls to die from suicide attempts, with 81% of the deaths from suicide attempts in the 10 to 24 age group being attributed to males. This is why it’s so important to seek counseling and therapy at the first signs that trauma may be influencing your troubled teen’s behavior - rather than waiting until it’s already too late. 

Where Can I Find Treatment for My Son? 

Finding the right treatment center is just as important as making the decision to seek professional therapy and counseling. At Ashcreek Ranch Academy, they focus solely on helping teen boys who are suffering. In a ranch environment, troubled teens learn to rebuild themselves from the inside-out, regaining their confidence and developing life skills that will last them a lifetime.