Trauma Or ADHD: Key Differences And How To Get Help
At first glance, you might not think ADHD and trauma have much in common. However, individuals with ADHD and those who experienced trauma may exhibit similar symptoms at times. Learning to distinguish between the two is crucial because getting the proper care for the specific condition is essential.
There appears to be a connection between the two, as various factors influence physical health, including genetics, environment, and psychosocial elements. Each person is unique, so the relationship between ADHD and trauma may not be straightforward. People are still working to understand these mental health conditions today.
ADHD And Trauma
Although these two share similar symptoms, they affect people differently.
ADHD is a mental health condition characterized by inattentiveness, hyperactiveness, or impulsive behavior. Trauma is a mental, emotional, or physical response to a distressing event.
According to an article published by PsychCentral, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner stated that it’s unclear whether there’s a causal relationship between ADHD and trauma. However, there is growing evidence to suggest it.
For example, the nurse practitioner explains that potential bullying from peers over social difficulties from ADHD symptoms could increase the risk of:
- Abusive behaviors
- Substance use
- Risky behaviors
- Potential to be more exposed to traumatic events
The shoe can also go on the other foot, as ADHD symptoms can also make a traumatic event worse. For example, a kid who went through a car crash might already have trouble sleeping at night due to the trauma. But their ADHD symptoms might make it even harder to sleep on top of that.
Shared Symptoms
The shared symptoms between ADHD and trauma can include:
- Agitation and irritability
- Disorganization
- Poor self-esteem
- Trouble concentrating at school or work
- Problems sleeping
Differences in Symptoms
The difference in the symptoms is that ADHD mostly stays in its lane with inattentiveness, impulse behavior, and forgetfulness. Trauma symptoms are more in line with what you would expect from someone who went through a traumatic event, such as displaying disassociation, nightmares, flashbacks, and sudden bursts of anger. These are the key differences between the two.
How Do I Get Help For My ADHD Or Trauma?
Getting the Right Diagnosis
It’s imperative that you get the correct diagnosis so that you can be treated properly. A trained professional can help you determine which of the two is correct. You could start by seeing your local doctor to refer you to a specialist. What diagnosis you receive may affect the next steps of your journey to recovery.
Receiving Regular Therapy or Medication
Depending on what diagnosis you receive, you may want to start attending therapy regularly and/or begin taking prescription medication. Of course, both of these are optional, and it’s ultimately up to you. Most people with trauma may choose to attend trauma therapy over taking medication. While those with ADHD are usually medicated, maybe you’ll want to go a different route and do therapy instead. You may want to get all your bases covered and do both. The choice is yours.
Stay On Track
No matter what road you take, keep going to therapy and keep taking your medication. The only reason to stop taking prescription medicine is if you start having side effects. If that’s the case, contact your doctor ASAP; they will help you find an alternative.
Living With It
ADHD and trauma are similar and oftentimes they could be linked with one another. They can also affect one another if you are going through both. However, a trained professional can help you develop the best treatment plan.
Do you want to learn more about trauma and ADHD? Feel free to contact me.
(1). https://psychcentral.com/adhd/adhd-and-trauma#shared-symptoms