The more we research and understand trauma, the more correlation we find between it and a variety of mental illnesses. Particularly, we link childhood trauma to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and vice versa. There are similar symptoms, and trauma can even amplify symptom severity.
The connection between ADHD and trauma is likely rooted in toxic stress. Prolonged activation of the body’s fight-or-flight system could encourage the brain to create these disorders as a coping mechanism. With this understanding, you can take steps to manage symptoms. You can also start your journey to healing your trauma.
Does Trauma Cause ADHD?
It’s important to understand that trauma does not cause all ADHD. Much of the time, we can attribute attention disorders to other factors like a family history of these disorders. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that some ADHD might have roots in trauma.
Statistics show that attention disorders are more common in people who have experienced trauma. There are a few theories around this. First, let’s look at the overlapping symptoms between trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and ADHD:
Difficulty focusing
Poor working memory (forgetfulness)
Sleeping problems
Substance or alcohol abuse
Social difficulties, like trouble connecting with other people
Frequent emotional dysregulation
ADHD as Protection
It’s possible that ADHD develops as a coping mechanism for traumatic situations, especially in situations where the trauma occurs in childhood. An inability to focus might actually be the mind trying to avoid thinking about a traumatic event. We can say the same about social difficulties.
If your caregivers abused you, it makes sense to your survivor’s mind to avoid people because they might abuse you, or cause you stress that reminds you of the abuse. The specific trauma can largely inform this development, too. These events might include:
Car accidents
Natural disasters
Living with an abuser
Death of a loved one
Racist or prejudiced violence
Being the victim of a crime
Witnessing abuse or a crime
Neglect
Trauma Because of ADHD
When ADHD and trauma occur at the same time, we call this co-occurring ADHD and trauma. Children might bully someone who has an attention disorder in school for their different way of thinking. These people might feel isolated or lack a feeling of belonging. This amplifies further when they struggle academically or get in trouble with their caregivers for certain behaviors beyond their control.
The stress responses these situations cause might happen so frequently that it heightens the symptoms of ADHD. Our bodies might perceive things that are non-threatening as threats because of habit. This can cause both short and long-term symptoms of PTSD, including:
Tense shoulders
Clenched jaw
Defensiveness, verbal or physical
Headaches
Nausea
Tightness in the chest
Difficulty or shallow breathing
Feeling light-headed
Flashbacks
Anxiety
Low mood
Inability to focus
Feeling numb
Trauma-Informed Therapy
More and more, we’re finding that trauma’s impact on mental health is monumental. That’s why it’s so important to find a therapist who practices trauma-informed therapy. Their understanding of the relationship between trauma and ADHD can be pivotal to your healing. This is also the first step in a societal movement—hopefully, one that will help us protect today’s youth from trauma exposure.
A common treatment for trauma, ADHD, attention disorders caused by trauma, and co-occurring ADHD and trauma is somatic psychotherapy. This is a holistic treatment that focuses on the body-mind connection. Essentially, this kind of therapy asks the person to check in with how they feel physically. One type of somatic therapy is IFS therapy. To learn more about if IFS therapy is right for you, click here.
To learn more about trauma treatment, click here. To contact me, click here.