Sep 22
ADHD and trauma overlap quite a bit in how they affect the brain, so much so that clinicians often misdiagnose one for the other.
So how do clinicians distinguish between ADHD and trauma when both impact the same areas of the brain and can cause similar symptoms?
And moreover, what happens when ADHD and trauma co-occur, which they so often do, due to the inherent trauma of growing up with a differently wired brain?
This solo episode I’m diving into the research on how trauma impacts the brain and nervous system, how untreated ADHD can lead to trauma, and where to start with treatment when you have that oh-so-wonderful combo of ADHD and trauma.
Just like with ADHD, trauma is never your fault and your symptoms are not moral failings or character flaws to be hidden away.
Shame is a component of both trauma and ADHD, and the more we shed light on it, the easier it is to eradicate it. In other words, what is sharable is bearable.
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"A childhood of feeling stupid, lazy, and too much creates a nervous system that's always on high alert because it's constantly waiting for that next thing that someone is going to tell us that we're doing wrong. Over time, our brains become rewired, which is what creates a dysregulated nervous system."
- Tracy Otsuka
"Neither ADHD nor trauma is your fault, these aren't moral failings or character flaws that need to be hidden. Shame is a component of both trauma and ADHD and we just need to eradicate it–what is sharable is bearable."
- Tracy Otsuka
"We know that exposure to stressful events or experiences can cause trauma at any time during a person's life. But as we'll discover, it's much worse the younger we are."
- Tracy Otsuka
- Tracy worries about talking too much, a leftover from past experiences where she was made to feel like she talked too much.
- Infants' earliest experiences shape their beliefs about themselves and the world, with consistent nurturing care forming a positive worldview.
- ADHD and RSD rejection sensitive dysphoria may be linked to childhood trauma, with higher ACE scores indicating more traumatic events experienced.
[21:32 - 31:07] ADHD, Trauma, and Learned Helplessness
- ADHD women may experience rejection sensitive dysphoria as a trauma response, manifesting as emotional reactivity and self-criticism.
- Research shows that beliefs about being stupid and incapable of change can lead to learned helplessness in individuals with ADHD.
- Psychologist dismisses ADHD diagnosis for 9-year-old boy, belittles his interest in black hole paradox.
- Isabel's newfound understanding of her ADHD brain and its strengths helped her overcome shame and see her abilities more clearly.
- Clinicians must assess for trauma when diagnosing ADHD, as trauma can masquerade as ADHD symptoms.
- Isabel shares her personal experience with trauma and ADHD, and how she uses her knowledge to help other women heal.
