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Too Old for Stranger Danger?
Keeping Kids Safe From Abductions
By Lisa Marie Metzler
The natural response for most parents and teens would be to proceed as normal and leave the past behind. Unfortunately, events and anniversaries will trigger memories of the abduction, captivity or other traumatic event. Sweeping emotions under the rug will not help your teen to move on.
"Teens will need to create an awareness of what has happened to them," says Gross. There will be days when the teen will be depressed or have a lot of stress. Through counseling and the loving support of family, constructive ways can be taught to deal with the pain. Visualization, relaxation, behavior modification, medication and other valuable tools can be used to aid in the awareness.
"Constructive ways have to deal with communication rather than the altered states that some victims use to dull their pain, like drugs [and] alcohol," says Gross. Parents need to become more observant of the teen's behavior. They need to learn to recognize when the teen is stressed. Is the teen sleeping too much or too little? Are they withdrawn or over active? Parents can truly make a difference in the recovery process by recognizing symptoms their teen will encounter in the aftermath of a traumatic experience.
Parents should ensure the teen's "survivor" status. This sense of self will give the teen empowerment, too. She can then learn to recognize when she is stressed or anxious when a situation triggers a memory. As the teen works through the troubled times, she will eventually realize that history doesn't have to control her and effect her daily life in a negative way.
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