Growing up in a traumatic environment

Going No Contact

I even moved to another district - a working-class district that my family feels too good for - and changed my name and number - finally peace! 😌

What makes complex trauma "complex"

Does Trauma Cause ADHD? And Vice Versa?

Could experiencing traumatic stress cause ADHD in me or my child? What is the ADHD-PTSD link? What does effective treatment look like? Is it ever too late to be treated? Answers to these and more in this expert Q&A.

The connection between trauma and ADHD is fascinating, if not fully understood. As research continues to fill in the blanks, Nicole Brown, M.D., MPH, MHS, recently answered questions from ADDitude readers about whether trauma begets attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD), what treatment options help children with ADHD who have experienced trauma, and what constitutes “trauma” in a diagnostic sense.

Q: Can trauma cause ADHD?

Research doesn’t support the idea that trauma causes ADHD. Research does tell us that ADHD is a condition that’s largely genetic and inherited, and that it causes specific areas of the brain to be underdeveloped or otherwise impacted. Because trauma affects those same areas of the brain, it exacerbates ADHD symptoms. The science, however, is still out on what actually causes ADHD.

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Q: What “counts” as trauma?

Researchers use the term ACEs, which stands for “adverse childhood experiences,” to describe potentially traumatic events that occur before age 18. ACEs traditionally include incidents like physical and emotional abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Our conception of ACEs, however, is continuously broadening, and there’s an explosion of science around it.

Death of a caregiver has traditionally been thought of as an ACEs type, for example. But the experience of almost losing someone close to you can be just as traumatic. Some children are also more at risk for certain unique traumatic stressors, as is the case with children of color experiencing stressors like systemic racism and concentrated poverty. Another important element to consider is that trauma is experienced, lived, and internalized very differently among people.

It is possible for “smaller” events to add up to trauma. Many studies on ACEs are limited in that they only look at the incidents in a “snapshot” form, not a cumulative form. The timing and accumulation of adverse events aren’t considered, nor is how they may impact the health trajectory of an individual. But we absolutely know that the more ACEs experienced, the more negative outcomes that are predicted.

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Q: With trauma and adverse experiences in childhood, can there be delayed responses that manifest only in adulthood?

Absolutely. In fact, it seems like most of the literature on ACEs has actually been done in adult populations, and pediatric literature is catching up. What we’re gleaning from the science is that ACEs cause changes in the brain and changes in different organ systems that begin in childhood and that translate to heightened risk for mood disorders and other chronic health conditions in later adulthood.

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You can read all Q&As on Additudemag.com

The Scapegoat & the Golden Child

I, the 🐐, my drug addicted, lying, always aggressive and angry sister, the 👼- so silly 🙈

Teeny, tiny trauma recovery "wins"

Trauma & Healing #6

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Fast Thinking

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My mother, my sister, and my former boss at the Catholic Church. I left all 3.

Trauma & Healing #4

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DESR: “Does ADHD Emotional Dysregulation Ever Fade?”

Emotional dysregulation is a core facet of ADHD that is excluded from official diagnostic criteria and most symptom tests — a contradiction that is pushing researchers and clinicians to further investigate the connection. One such ADHD expert is Russell Barkley, Ph.D., who has coined the term deficient emotional self-regulation (DESR) to describe this fundamental trait.

Deficient emotional self-regulation (DESR) is a new term describing an age-old problem of impulsive emotion and emotional self-regulation difficulties among people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD). Specifically, DESR refers to deficiencies in these four aspects of emotional regulation:

• The ability to inhibit inappropriate responses triggered by strong emotions
• The ability to self-soothe to reduce the severity of an intense emotion
• The ability to refocus attention from emotionally provocative events
• The ability to substitute healthier responses in the interest of long-term welfare

Though it’s not included in the condition’s DSM-5 criteria, DESR and emotional impulsivity are fundamental components of ADHD that shape an individual’s experiences and challenges throughout their lifetime.

Read the full article on Additudemag.com.

The Emotional Resilience Playbook for People with Big Emotions

Big emotions spill over sometimes. It happens, especially when ADHD brings with it emotional dysregulation. But by developing emotional resilience we can learn to minimize the damage caused by big emotions and hone emotionally healthy responses in the future. Here’s how.

ADHD brains are routinely hijacked by big emotions — and big problems often follow.

Sometimes, adults with ADHD react with big emotions when things don’t go according to expectations. Even minor frustrations and interruptions can cause us to overreact with an outburst or meltdown, making it hard to complete tasks and maintain relationships.

This emotional dysregulation creates a vicious cycle, dooming us to repeat the same reaction again and again.

We can’t always stop big emotions from spilling over, but we can learn to minimize the damage they cause to others and ourselves and develop emotionally healthy responses in the future. This process of developing emotional resilience is critical. But first, we need to understand how we process our emotions: by hurling or by hiding.

Hurlers and Hiders (aka Fire Breathers and Shame Eaters)

Most people with ADHD who experience strong ADHD emotions fall into one of two camps: the “hurlers” or the “hiders.” The hurlers, aka fire breathers, sling their big emotions at anyone or anything around them. In doing so, they damage their relationships in ways they may not realize or understand.

The hiders, aka shame eaters, shove their emotions inside. Why? It might be due to conflict avoidance, fear of rejection, low self-esteem, or the feeling that they won’t be heard. They may experience stomach or digestive issues because they’re stuffing their emotions into their body.

Strategies for Hiders

You can read the full article on Additudemag.com.

How To Heal From Trauma

What is trauma?

Trauma is an emotional response that lasts long after an event occurs that causes significant mental and physical stress. Just like a physical scar from a deep cut takes time to heal, recovery from trauma is possible with time and treatment. It’s important to remember that ignoring or avoiding symptoms of trauma isn’t a healthy coping response (in fact, avoiding them can make things worse — more on that later). 

When you go through a traumatic event, your mind sometimes remembers how it felt and keeps that trauma response “at the ready.” But Duke also points out, “Some people can’t recall traumatic events for many years.” 

In general, trauma affects two parts of your brain:

Read more on clevelandclinic.org.

Trauma & Healing #3

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Trauma & Healing #2

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Trauma & Healing #1

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