ADHD AND TRAUMA
WHAT IS THE CONNECTION?
ADHD and trauma have overlapping symptoms. Both are affected by the pre- frontal cortex (executive functioning and reasoning) and the amygdala (processing emotions). Behaviours that can look the same are hyper-arousal and restlessness, difficulty with emotional regulation and making decisions. They are also associated with sleep problems, impulsivity, addictive behaviours and problems relating to others. ADHD and trauma can occur together though.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
Trauma is complex. Trauma can be acquired to include all different types of injury to the brain. Psychological trauma covers damage or injury to the mind. For instance, there is childhood, ongoing and developmental trauma. The exposure to traumatic events at any point in your life can trigger undiagnosed, untreated ADHD. Other times, it can make existing symptoms way worse. Epigenetics (how our genes might be turned on or off based on our environment) also plays a key role in understanding how this all works. Studies found that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can go as far as rewiring and affecting the developing brain at a very, very young age (Carey & Postel, 2012). However, when trauma happens later in life, a person might recall whether their ADHD symptoms manifested prior to the traumatic event.
ARE PEOPLE WITH RSD MORE VULNERABLE TO TRAUMA?
Rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD) is an extreme sensitivity to disapproval, rejection, criticism or the perception that somehow you have failed. It is very common in people with ADHD and means they may be emotionally less resilient. Trauma in itself doesn’t cause ADHD and vice versa. It is often the response to psychological trauma (related to hurtful past experiences or recreated past wounds while living with ADHD) that emerges in a person who strongly reacts in an emotional way.
THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG?
Yes, trauma can look like ADHD. However, people with ADHD can have co-existing or past trauma. It is important to look beyond the obvious and to keep a differential diagnosis mindset when evaluating ADHD. It helps when you not only understand what is driving a specific behaviour, but when it started and how it presents itself. For example, a person who is consumed with his/her safety will be absent-minded, easily distracted and find it difficult to pay attention to daily life activities. On the other hand, people with mental or physical ‘disabilities’ may be more susceptible to others in experiencing trauma. While treating both conditions at the same time can be very difficult, most people respond well to a variety of evidence-based interventions. In the end, everybody deserves the opportunity to be understood. It is important to consider any and all efforts to uncover patterns in behaviour, thoughts and feelings that can help you put a plan together for you to succeed in the face of adversity.
WHAT CAN I DO?
- Get professional help through your physician and/or psychologist.
- Take action. Get a comprehensive assessment with someone who can dig a little deeper, who understands overlapping symptoms and defining differences.
- Keep a journal. Explore thoughts and feelings in response to certain stimuli so your behaviour may be put into context.
- Think of your timeline. When did you notice a difference in the person’s behaviour or did it get worse?
Sources:
J. Douglas Bremner. Traumatic stress: effects on the brain. Dialogues Clinical Neuroscience.2006 Dec;8(4): 445- 561. doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2006.8.4/jbremner
Carey, N. & Postel, D. (2012) The Epigenetics Revolution: How modern biology is rewriting our understanding of genetics, disease
and inheritance.
