Trauma responses in young people

To break it down a little more, when children feel cornered or unsafe, they might react by having tantrums or acting aggressively – this is the ‘fight’ response, which is defensive and combative. They might also just physically leave the situation (if they can, or mentally distract themselves if they can’t) to avoid it, which is the ‘flight’ mode in action. If the child doesn't feel like they can escape the situation, they may literally ‘freeze,’ becoming still and emotionally disconnected. For children in difficult situations, like their parents arguing a lot or criticising the child often, they can resort to ‘fawning,’ where they are constantly trying to make peace with them.

Constantly trying to appease and make peace can make it difficult for a young person to set boundaries and assert themselves, and they can grow into adults who always put other people’s needs first instead of their own. 

All of these responses are caused by the young person’s brain trying to deal with threats. If children are constantly feeling threatened, their bodies will start to respond to minor issues as if they’re more dangerous. Because of this, they can struggle to adjust back to normal life before the traumatic event, potentially carrying that fear into adulthood, leading to ongoing mental health struggles like anxiety disorder and PTSD. 

Have you ever heard people say they can’t remember something about a stressful or traumatic event that happened to them? That’s memory repression as a trauma response – it's a psychological defense mechanism against the event. The survival responses activated by our brains when we’re distressed (fight, flight, freeze, or fawn) can result in trauma-induced memory repression, also known as dissociative amnesia. This can cause young people to forget specific traumatic events, or even entire periods of their lives. You will also see this in adults too. 

"Our brains are very complex. Typically, when we experience something traumatic, we go into survival mode and the brain can shut away a memory very deeply. That's why if someone is interviewed straight after a traumatic event and then they are interviewed again later, they might remember something new. This is because we need to be in a safer environment for our body to relax and for our brain to let us into the place where that memory is stored." - Ella, child exploitation services practitioner 

My memory isn't amazing. A large chunk of that time period is missing. I don’t remember much of the actual grooming and abuse as such, I had completely put that in a box. And then when the police dragged it back up again, it was like all my memories were completely shuffled.

- Saskia

If you’re a parent, educator, or concerned friend, who has noticed signs of trauma in a young person, you can help them through it.  

PTSD can be treated quickly if it’s caught early, so early intervention is important. If you notice signs of trauma, discuss them with a GP and/or Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHs) to help identify and treat the trauma. Alongside psychological treatment, ensuring the child has a safe space to be open is vital. Listen to them without any judgement, continue to offer support, and remind them you’re there for them. Talk them through the common reactions to trauma, explain that their reactions, visible or not, are normal reactions to abnormal incidents. Understand that things might be different during the recovery process so be flexible and patient throughout. 

Author: Aisha Khan