Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a mental disorder
that affects an individual after a traumatic incident that poses a threat to
their well-being. This condition is often overlooked in schools. In school students, PTSD can be caused by
numerous incidents ranging from bullying and abuse to school shootings. Many students,
especially those from the urban core communities experience extreme violence
either by being a victim or witnessing crimes on a daily basis. Many of these students live in constant fear
for their lives as they travel to school through gang-infested neighborhoods. With those barriers to get over on a daily
basis, it is understandable that PTSD students don’t fare well in school.
Students suffering from PTSD often seem distant, irritable
and short tempered. Depression is one of the most common side-effects of PTSD.
Students that are suffering from PTSD often show a drop in academic
performance, become anti-social, and are more likely to drop out of school.
Trauma intervention for students is becoming a major health concern and the
intervention of parents, teachers and counselors play a vital role in the well-being
of a traumatized child. Here are a few tips on dealing with students who have
PTSD:
- Listen
Provide the student with the opportunity to talk about the
incident openly and express their worries, anxieties and so on. Have an open
mind, be empathetic and listen to what the student is saying. Don't ask them
too many questions as going too deep into the logistics, right after the
incident, can lead to more stress for the student.
- Teach
Teachers and counselors must help the student understand the
normal stress reactions along with coping and problem-solving techniques.
Teachers/counselors need to make the student understand that it's OK to be sad,
angry and moody in general, after a traumatic incident. If students are
chastised for their reactions, instead of being taught how to deal with them,
they tend to internalize it and get even more stressed/ depressed.
- Re-establish relationships
Students who suffer from PTSD often tend to isolate
themselves and not talk to parents, relatives or friends. This will add to
their feelings of loneliness, sadness and numbness. It is vital for them to
re-establish these relationships and build an effective support system. It is
an essential part of providing support for traumatized students.
Once they are more comfortable, normal routines such as
going to school, extracurricular practice can be re-established.
- Protect the student
Help the student understand the circumstances related to the
event in an age appropriate manner. It is important to protect the student from
further physical or psychological harm either from bullies or in some cases, by
repetitive and excessive coverage by the media.
Teachers can also help by engaging students in safety drills
to make them feel safer.
- Showcase positive behavior
Teachers and staff can help students by showcasing model
behavior. When the student is irritable and moody, teachers and counselors need
to remain calm and show balanced emotions. While dealing with traumatized
students, adults need to be positive about the future and assure them that
things will get better. The more the negativity the more stressed the student
becomes.
- Getting the parents involved
Once the student is comfortable talking about the incident,
it is advisable to get the parents involved as this makes the recovery process
easier. The parents need to understand what their child is going through and
deal with it accordingly. It is important that they understand to never
belittle their child's problems as it can deeply affect the child's psyche.
So with united efforts both from school officials and
relatives/guardians, a traumatized child will recover well and not have any
residual trauma.
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