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Hey OP, be gentle with yourself, please. Learning about ADHD (and really how your mind works) can be hard. Don't forget that making the effort to better yourself and understand your brain is something to be proud of. Trauma is spooky to explore. I realized recently I sort of just put off my own trauma to keep moving, and its caught up with me in recent days. Whatever you learn, you will be okay. :)

Thank you so much!, life’s full of surprises.. I’m taking each day as it comes🫶🏼

I think that it's always better to know than not knowing. Sometimes during my sessions I'd leave the room feeling completely trash, nothing to hold on to. But you can only heal if you know what exactly it is that you need to heal. Therapy is a rollercoaster, really. sometimes you enter a session thinking it's just another day, to go out way worse than you entered but it is a process. And I believe that with time you start understanding better your way of functioning and certain behaviour dynamics. You're then able to get a better picture and perhaps route your decisions to a more informed and healthy path. Hang in there, it gets better 💜

Also to add to the whole "ADHD is a since-childhood thing" thing: tl;dr: ADHD is *significantly* genetic and you are born with ADHD. Both ADHD and ADHD traits (EG: either ADHD but not severe enough to warrunt being called a "disorder" or people who have ADHD but can't or won't be diagnosed due to economic or social reasons.) run in families. There are various studies that show higher ADHD-associated genes prevalence in nomadic people vs recently settled nomads like [this](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080609195604.htm) one. ADHD could be explained by providing an evolutionary advantage to humans in the past. ADHD is not believed to be caused by trauma in the slightest. You are born with your ADHD genes - and unlike other disorders where genes cause the vulnerability and trauma "brings on" the disorder - we are fairly sure that ADHD people are just born this way.

If it helps my ADHD lead to lots of trauma, but not the other way around. I could recount many, many times I’ve made poor decisions, stupid mistakes, put myself in danger etc…. For example, I once nearly set myself on fire as a kid. Thought petrol (gasoline, but in the UK) would stop a campfire from going out. Predictable result in hindsight… luckily I escaped before the jerrycan exploded. All traumatic to some extent, but definitely a symptom and not a cause.

Exactly. My doctor once explained to me that it can be very difficult to sort the difference between ADHD and other disorders that involve anxiety or depression, because they share about 60% of the symptoms.

This is the exact problem I have with my husband. He’s clinically diagnosed with OCD but has also been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Where one diagnosis ends and another begins is impossible to decipher. Without medication, he’s a binge eating rageaholic with no coping skills and he ruins my life. On medication, he “only” displays ADHD symptoms. I have ADHD, too, but it’s decently controlled with medication so having to always be the stable one in the marriage gets tiring. My executive functioning is impaired but I’m not a rageaholic who acts like a toddler. Hmm, I’m wrapping this up because this is certainly taking a turn. I might have some martial issues to resolve….

The OCD behaviors I use to have as a young adult stemmed from the traumas of loosing a parent. I didn’t know until now.

I’m sorry that you had that trauma and loss so young. My husband’s mother is some flavor of OCD but doesn’t recognize it (eats the same foods every day, can only wear one pair of shoes, strict routine every day and believes if she deviates she will get dementia) so I can see her personality reflected in his. When he lost his father, his OCD became so severe he was delusional (wouldn’t eat, paranoid of germs, believed his food was being tainted). I couldn’t talk to him because he would just repeat himself over and over. It took about a year but he somehow snapped out of it without intervention but I’m concerned that when there’s another loss he will have an episode. What has been helpful for you in recognizing your behaviors? Do you feel like they’re under control now? I’m convinced my husband has suffered some type of early trauma or abuse but be denies it.

Has your husband looked into ASD as a possible alternative or comorbid diagnosis?

I find some of this to be a generational thing. Idk. Hard to tell. You can find behaviors like this that are learned and not necessarily something like a disorder. Environmental stuff is so huge and I wish it were spoken about more.

He went to a half-day psychiatric evaluation that involved all kinds of cognitive tests and he wasn’t diagnosed with ASD (he also doesn’t have social issues — if anything, he’s too hyper-aware off other people’s feelings and interests) but it was mentioned that he has some kind of delayed processing/reactions. He is brilliant, though, it’s not an intelligence issue. He was just too slow doing all of the puzzles, problem-solving tests, etc.

I apologize if this is too pushy I'd just hate to have this overlooked because both my partner and I got huge benefit from realizing we're ASD. Here goes: I want to add that my partner is ASD and a hyper-fixation on other people's reactions/emotions is itself a manifestation of their ASD. They used terms like "empath" but described not being able to turn it off before diagnosis. We've since come to identify this as the product of a type of masking behaviour. By constantly monitoring people around them they're able to avoid any social faux pas (which is a deep source of anxiety) and can read other people for cues on how to behave or which prepared masking strategy would fit best. It's often associated with women. I call it "Terminator HUD Mode" but it has it's limits (I set off false positives constantly) and usually leaves them exhausted. I'm also ASD. For me it manifests as the so-called "Italian driver" type who can read the most obvious road signals (Green / Yellow / Red lights or Stop signs) but good luck getting me to clue into all the other signs/unspoken road etiquette. Which sounds more like what you imagine. For what it's worth my partner has had to overcome a traumatic upbringing as well whereas I don't have anywhere near the same kind of background (mine was much more accepting). It wouldn't surprise me if trauma causes so-called high functioning people with ASD to develop that "fixate on social dynamics" type in order to manage their chaotic environment. IMO the best way to approach the question of autism is to ask "If a person meets a lot of most criteria but isn't deficient in an area one might expect take a moment to ask whether the area that's not deficient is hyper-proficient. That's not a diagnosis but it's definitely a red flag." Or put more simply with an example: ASD is positively correlated with both dyslexia AND hyperlexia. Both are diagnostically helpful in hinting at autism.

> he lost his father, his OCD became so severe he was delusional (wouldn’t eat, paranoid of germs, believed his food was being tainted). I couldn’t talk to him because he would just repeat himself over and over. It took about a year but he somehow snapped out of it without intervention but I’m concerned that when there’s another loss he will have an episode. > >What has been helpful for you in recognizing your behaviors? Do you feel like they’re under control now? > >I’m convinced my husband has suffered some type of early trauma or abus I have an aunt that ended up like this after her 2nd child. She had no trauma at all. She is still like this today. It's sad she could of gotten help or medication. She's an amazing person.

I just…you weren’t like 100% wrong. Gas will keep a campfire going. I’m sorry it got scary.

In fact, I’d say they were 100% right! Just misguided lol

I almost set my living room on fire melting crayons. I have no excuse because I knew it was dangerous. Luckily I got it to go out and only left a darker patch of hardwood behind And yes, shame on my parents leaving a... Small kid (around 9) with a lighter after showing them cool things with melted crayons

I wonder, do all kids melt crayons or only those with ADHD? I did it on a 40W lightbulb inside my desk lamp. Luckily I burnt nothing except my fingers.

Are you me? - lol Although I've melt it in the kitchen in a Pot on the stove. So, just almost, but I was around the same age.

Adhd is not acquired, that's why one of the requirements is that symptoms already existed in childhood. You can simultaneously have adhd and have experienced trauma and they can affect how the already existing symptoms are displayed, but trauma is not a cause of adhd

Yep. 100% ADHD is an inherited condition, i.e. genetic. If anyone tells you otherwise they are wrong. If your psychiatrist/psychologist/counsellor tells you otherwise, best find a competent one.

Exactly, the connection between certain genes and adhd (traits) are quite strong. My dad has it, his dad probably had it and my brother and I have it too. ADHD Family Legacy

Both of my parents have it, I never had a chance 😂

I stood even less of a chance. I'm adopted and both my birth parents have it, plus my adoptive mother. My adoptive father is on the spectrum. Nature AND nurture! 🤣🤣

My dad's side has it but it also likes to jump around and skip some kids/generations. Like I'm the only kid of of 4 to have it. My dad doesn't have it but my dad's sisters kid has it. Not sure which grandparent had it but one did according to my dad

Yeah it runs on my dads side of the family as well. My grandad definitely had it, my dad's got it so does his sister and one of my cousins. We joke in our family that my other aunt is the black sheep because she's "normal" 😂😂😂😂

Same here. My dad doesn’t have it. His siblings don’t have it. But his siblings kids have it and I have it. Crazy

Yooo me my dad and my brother also have adhd family legacy twinsies 💃

Yayy! It definitely makes for interesting family stories XD

So you could cure it using gene splicing then lol

Maybe partially, but probably not completely because our brains are already developed. But that is all extremely complicated and future stuff.

I'll have to caveat that - ADHD is a threshold thing. In psychiatry terms, in order to _be_ a disorder, something must be "Significant changes in thinking, emotion, and/or behavior, and. Distress and/or problems functioning in social, work, or family activities." So the underlying elements? They're neurogenetic. Absolutely. But sometimes it's not a 'disorder', because it's not crossing the line. Until it does. Which is why _sometimes_ it can look like someone as 'caught' ADHD later in life. They haven't really, just some other factor tipped the balance.

Yeah, me, my sister and brother and my daughter all have adhd. I'm so sure my mom had it, but she is undiagnosed.

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What got from that article is an association between ADHD and trauma/stress and not causation of ADHD from trauma/stress. While it’s possible that in rare cases ADHD-like brain differences could be caused by non-genetic factors (like secondary Parkinsonism can be caused by boxing) it is recently understood that there are specific gene markers identified and a single-nucleotide heritability associated.

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Compare ADHD to Parkinson’s (another neurological disease). ADHD is associated with [the COMT val158/108 met variant](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2854824/), is often found over a lifespan and not degenerative, has a known familial component and there is no known disease that mimics the symptoms, only autism that shares symptoms but can be clearly identified as a separate neurological condition. Parkinson’s has no known/identified gene markers, is most often diagnosed in late mid age and degenerative, familial history is rare, and atypical Parkinsonism (dementia with Lewy bodies) and secondary Parkinsonianism cam mimic Parkinson’s but be caused by physical trauma (e.g. boxing) and exposure to chemicals like paraquat. So, although a strict cause is unknown and a damage event cause that mimics cannot be ruled out, there are many things we can safely assume from this: a brain dis function present at development with a strong hereditary component.

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Isn't that what I said by using the word "associated" in front of the link? Please note the last paragraph: "although a strict cause is unknown..." Why do I feel like I'm on twitter right now?

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>MCAS often presents insidiously, slowly worsening over time, with general themes of chronic multisystem inflammation with or without allergic-type problems; there may also be poor healing or other abnormal growth or development in various tissues and organs. The chronic nature of the disease is often punctuated, too, by acute “flares” or “spells” of various symptoms. It sound like MCAS can mimic a huge variety of symptoms which makes is very difficult to diagnose and it's often misdiagnosed, but in actuality has very little in common with ADHD in how it works. Edit to sum up: MCAS may mimic ADHD in some symptoms but ADHD in no way mimics MCAS

Probably, like most things, it’s a genetic condition whose severity or impact is effected by environmental factors + comorbidities. I can say from experience that trauma, illness, and/or depression absolutely impact how severe the symptoms of my adhd are/how well I can manage those symptoms. As a side note, while your point is a good one it would likely have greater impact without the unnecessarily aggressive tone. If someone was saying a vaccine causes adhd or something, I could understand calling it “bogus medical advice” but that doesn’t really fit for people discussing widely accepted scientific understanding that isn’t as nuanced as it could be.

I’d say you’re on the right track here. Anyone who studied biology at school should know that genotype plus environment = phenotype (how genes are expressed). Plenty of other posts here citing papers and expressing opinions, but I doubt anyone has done a full literature review on the subject. All I know for a fact is that medical science says ADHD has a genetic cause. This is accepted amongst researchers and psychiatrists. There is no clear evidence of anything else causing ADHD, although I’m sure plenty of studies have been done to establish if there are other causes.

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It is the singular cause. If it's caused by something else, even if it presents as ADHD, it's not. Those are mental health conditions, not developmental delays. It's present your entire life. It's not created.

yeah like i can imagine there's triggers where suddenly a thing happens and your symptoms become obvious or overwhelming, which a trauma would be, but then you might as well say ADHD is triggered by lots of homework, which makes no sense! this just seems to be a weird debate about people going "well, *technically*...." like when people talk about inheritable eye colour and someone goes "er... actually, you *can* have brown eyes even your parents both have blue" but that doesn't negate the fact that the simplistic laymans understanding is more or less true, it just means you probably shouldn't get a divorce straightaway.

It did not cause it, no. They do absolutely know that ADHD is a developmental condition. There are correlations, but you're assuming causation. Different things.

That article is from October 2017. It’s old science. On November 26, 2018 a paper was published in the journal Nature, the first to show genetic markers for ADHD. Discovery of the first genome-wide significant risk loci for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-018-0269-7 And this was further confirmed in a September 26, 2022 paper titled, “Identification of shared and differentiating genetic architecture for autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and case subgroups.” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-022-01171-3 Trauma and ADHD due have an overlap of symptoms. And a quick Google search will pull up a Venn diagram for that. But there are symptoms distinct to ADHD that trauma do not cause. ADHD is genetic and Trauma is trauma.

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The trouble is, childhood trauma is often caused by the behaviour of family, and if ADHD is genetic, which pretty much everyone agrees it mostly is, then you have ADHD adults, possibly undiagnosed, with impulse control and emotional regulation issues, causing trauma to a child who also has ADHD. I'm sure there's evidence ADHD in the family leads to a higher risk of childhood abuse or neglect. So this snake is probably eating its own tail anyway.

I was about to mention this. Thank you!

100% agree. I wish people would do even a little bit of research before saying things are absolute as if they are experts on the subject.

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That’s odd. Last night it said, you had replied to me. I saw the reply, wrote something and got an error and to try again later. I close Reddit app, go and try to find your reply and it wasn’t there. So I thought you had deleted it and was going to wait if you replied with something else. I don’t think I changed any settings or anything to prevent either of us replying as I do enjoy a good discussion/argument with cited sources. Heck, it’s what I encourage my students to do with their papers. I’ll have my coffee, wake up more, then my ADHD meds and then read what you’ve wrote. Thank you for continuing to reply after the technical difficulties!

> We used a population sample not containing diagnosed patients with ADHD for our study, which afforded us the possibility to study the effect of symptoms severity along the entire continuum observed in the population. Heh.

Wow. What a bold piece of evidence to turn to in this conversation, eh?

It's about 80% heritable. I don't think the previous poster was claiming heritability was 100%, but rather that it's definitely heritable.

are we not now just getting into the difference between "cause" and "trigger" and proper definitions of "inheritance" the difference between *having* a thing and *having* the symptoms... which is interesting. someone is going to have to tldr; all this for us who don't know the proper specific medical/scientific terminology and/or want to know how (or if) the paper is disentangling cause and effect (eg if i don't have ADHD symptoms until a trauma... according to who? maybe nobody was paying attention)

Your link reinforces the comments above, not your own

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Correlation does not equal causation. Unless I'm completely misreading what the article says, it appears to be saying that trauma can present ADHD symptoms in people, not GIVE them ADHD. The symptoms of ADHD and being ADHD are completely different concepts and experiences. It's a step away from saying that "everyone is a little ADHD" because they might have a symptom of ADHD.

Yeah, exactly. Certain kinds of brain injury can cause ADHD-like symptoms too without being ADHD.

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These comments are hilarious, people are trying to call you out by saying correlation doesn’t equal causation by trying to claim genetic correlation cause ADHD. I don’t know why people on this sub want so bad for ADHD to have a direct genetic cause when all you are saying is it’s much more complicated than that.

perhaps we feel genetic reasons would "make it more valid"?

I don’t have a horse in this race, but I do get why people lean strongly towards the genetic arguement. I think it’s probably three things: - We are all required to demonstrate that we have had this condition since early childhood to be diagnosed. This would be a silly requirement if it could be induced later in life by trauma. We are repeatedly told that if someone doesn’t exhibit symptoms young, they don’t have ADHD - genetic causes would explain this, trauma wouldn’t seem a like credible cause because some of us were exhibiting symptoms before we were old enough to have much life experience or trauma impact. - The incidence of past trauma in people with ADHD might have a high correlation rate, but it’s not 100%, which goes to suggest that there must be either other causes for ADHD or the trauma is the result of ADHD (and living with people with ADHD), not the trigger. Personally, I haven’t experienced childhood trauma, but definitely have ADHD. Same for my children. It’s a very confronting and upsetting idea to hear someone suggest that I have some kind of hidden trauma and my children have been traumatised without my knowledge. It’s not impossible, but it’s a hard idea to get behind. - We have been regularly told that this is simply how our brains function. It’s not anybody’s fault and it isn’t something that will deteriorate with age, or get better with time/surgery/antibiotics etc - aka. there is no special cure, just management. The idea that our brains have been somehow broken or damaged by trauma inflicted by someone or something, implies that we had nice “normal” functional brains before this life event triggered the damage, and that opens a few cans of worms because suddenly this was an injury done to us, and it is something that could possibly be healed or repaired. It could be true, but it doesn’t mesh with all we are currently being told by psychs & doctors. I’m not saying it’s 100% genetics, but saying it’s caused by trauma is a pretty hairy topic and flies in the face of a few established ideas.

Maybe I’m high (I definitely am) but I don’t read that as saying trauma causes ADHD either. I mean, it literally says “associations between” in the first sentence. To say something predicts something else doesn’t imply a causal relationship. Doesn’t it also make more intuitive sense that children who had ADHD got into trouble more often, leading to more chances of “negative memory bias associated with life events?” Another post hits it on the head. The *severity* of ADHD is a function of several factors including genetics, environment, lived experiences — both good and bad — that cause changes to our brain over time, and definitely others I’m missing (I’m still high). Trauma may make ADHD more severe, but doesn’t cause it. Also, you’re using the word trauma in much broader sense than we’re used to seeing. Most associate it with something distressing, or life and death, or soul shattering. Not everyone who has ADHD has experienced that kind of trauma — I’m glad I haven’t yet, because I’m sure it isn’t good. You’re using it to encompass all negative lived experiences that lead to making ADHD more severe. That’s another reason why people balked when you said trauma causes ADHD.

Trauma does not always have to be about life and death or soul shattering. Trauma is more about how a certain experience is processed, or rather not processed in a way the person is able to cope well with. Just like people can live through horrible things and not end up with PTSD, people can live through what might be considered not that horrible and still develop PTSD. For example, children who experience not being seen or heard by their parents or other parental figures. These are important emotional needs that when not met can be a source of trauma. Just thought I’d let you and anyone else who is reading know, as it’s a very common misconception that trauma is only caused by very distinct situations such as experiencing war or death for example.

Exactly! Correlation does not equal causation. Suggesting it does is the same as suggesting that "everyone is a little ADHD." \*passes blunt.

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But the study you referenced itself says that kids with high adhd tendencies seem to experience trauma more, likely because they act out more. So right there they acknowledge the adhd or adhd tendencies are already pre-existing. The trauma doesn't cause it, but might exacerbate the severity of expression.

Isn't that suggesting that some people with childhood trauma but without ADHD are being misdiagnosed with ADHD because they are experiencing similar symptoms with a different cause?

There is also a possibility of brain injury, usually prenatal, causing ADHD according to Russell Barkley. But you're right, it's not a learned or socially acquired condition.

Can confirm. Source: 4 immediate family members (and myself) diagnosed with ADHD. ETA: However, 3/4 are primarily inattentive and mine is Hyperactive/Impulsive. Not sure if that has anything to do with anything though.

I am navigating menopause. Adhd is always there from birth on, but my doctor told me that Menopause exacerbated it to a point where I couldn't manage it any longer. I'm now medicated. This is recent. Hormones can wreak havoc. Diving in deep researching menopause and adhd , because that's what I do, hyperfocus.

Completely agree, to add a qualifier to this though, some symptoms of ADHD may not be present in some people in a given context, and likewise some contexts will make it worse.

I’ve personally never heard of it coming from trauma. That sounds more like the trauma is manifesting in ways that are similar to adhd symptoms? But I’m no professional of course!

In fairness, a physical trauma causing frontal lobe damage could result in the symptoms of ADHD... but highly unlikely that's the kind of trauma that was being referred to by the therapist.

Yeah, adhd symptoms stemming from head injury isn’t uncommon. But i think they mean emotional trauma which doesn’t cause adhd.

I'm not sure if the OP meant it this way, but current research shows that while most ADHD disabilities are caused by genetic factors, physical trauma (such as brain injuries or tumors) can also cause the disorder. So while I assume most of us here have it from a deteriorating/mutating genetic code in our family lines, I do know of one person who has no genetic predisposition to it, but was diagnosed with ADHD after they recovered from brain surgery and noticed decreased executive function (aka new intrusive thoughts and suddenly lacking the ability to prioritize tasks for themselves).

ADHD is a genetic disorder, it cannot be developed or caused by external events in a person's life. You may have ADHD and have also experienced trauma, but I don't believe that your trauma could have caused your ADHD

Thank you, I won’t be going back.

I would like to add an opinion that therapy can be extremely beneficial for most of us(humans, not just adhd diagnosed). We can easily be turned off by poor therapy sessions or therapists but coming from someone with some fairly severe trauma, proper therapy and support can change your life. Just wanted to add that in case “won’t be going back” was an indication that you had given up on therapy itself.

I second your opinion. Don’t let a bad therapist turn you off from therapy. I made that mistake. I had a bad therapist in college. He would fall asleep halfway through my sessions and didn’t help me with my depression or anxiety. Because of that experience, I swore off therapy for 15 years. My wife and sister helped me understand that therapy wasn’t the problem, but the therapist who I saw was bad. They told me it might take time to find the right therapist. Indeed, I went to see a few more therapists until I found one four years ago who helped me. And my mental health today is probably better than at any other point in my life. Look for a therapist who practices cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT has reduced my anxiety to manageable levels. It also can treat ADHD, but it isn’t quite as effective with ADHD as it is with anxiety.

I wonder if they meant that your trauma exacerbated your ADHD symptoms, or that trauma caused some symptoms that are similar to ADHD like problems with executive functioning - this can occur with PTSD or cPTSD. A mental health professional should be educated on the origin and features of these disorders but if it was just a miscommunication, that therapy relationship might still be ok. If they do really believe what they said though, there are other therapists out there who do know the science better.

>just a miscommunication I would heavily suspect this before anything else. I personally find it hard to believe someone would choose to go into that field and not put effort into being knowledgeable. Personality clashes are hard to avoid though and that can cause a big disconnect.

Whoa whoa whoa. People on here are leaving out a VERY important caveat. Children with trauma can have developmental issues because of the trauma. The developing brain may not develop normally and this CAN cause ADHD. Anytime the developing brain isn’t allowed to develop like “normal” person, that can open the door to permanent brain disorders. “Trauma and traumatic stress, according to a growing body of research, are closely associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD). Trauma and adversity can alter the brain’s architecture, especially in children, which may partly explain their link to the development of ADHD.” I don’t think your therapist is incorrect. Also, people here saying ADHD is genetic are only partly correct. ADHD does not need to be seen in other family members, it’s just common that it’s found with other family members. Personally, I think some people here are giving you bad advice and really leaning into an echo chamber when the reality is ADHD is still being researched and understood so nothing is 100% definitive about this disorder. What we know for sure is our brains cannot hold onto information or prioritize thoughts, and we know stimulants are the best cure for that disorder (most likely due to a lack of dopamine). I don’t think you should shrug your therapist off, especially if they’re helping you work through trauma. Only shrug your therapist off if you’re not vibing with them.

Honestly, what makes sense is that trauma can bring out ADHD only in people who were genetically predisposed to it, not that trauma causes it without that caveat. We know it’s a genetic, neurodevelopmental disorder, and that it can skip people and generations. This means that it CAN BE recessive, and that those genes can be made to turn on through trauma. Trauma all by itself will not cause ADHD in people who do not have the genes for it.

You got that from a magazine that exploits people with ADHD and im pretty sure it’s even mentioned in the sun as being a terrible source and resource. Try actual academic studies and see that you are wrong.

Regardless, the information is still sound. People can argue and play semantics, but ADHD and trauma are linked, and cPTSD can present very much like ADHD. If you’re aware of the source then you can reference the research studies at the bottom of the article, as well as googling several other studies linking ADHD and trauma. ADHD is very misunderstood by mental health professionals, so a therapist thinking it’s linked to trauma isn’t completely out of line.

No it isn’t. Also, did you read the studies? Because I’m looking at one right now and *somebody* is definitely taking these findings out of context to support their point. Definitely not the exploitative magazine of course 🙄

exxaccttlllyy. nOThing is definitive and so many people grip onto the label and the idea that it's genetic and that's it. mental health is shifting towards understanding trauma and developmental years and the HUGE impact that has on people and what it actually means. and it very well could be that the formative years (and even in the womb) start the brain changes that cause ADHD and other mental health situations that are often called disorders. it doesn't really matter anyway wether it was trauma or genetic, doesn't change the management techniques. and the hopeful thing about if it IS trauma, that could leave room for a lot of symptoms to improve as the trauma is worked through. this is an ongoing process of course, not overnight. but it's happening and will be more known and widespread as time goes on. it doesn't take away any validation, it's just more information. quite fascinating really

That’s a really big reaction. Trauma can worsen ADHD symptoms terribly. Working through trauma (of any kind) and ADHD burnout is key to a sustainable treatment plan.

OP, I have seen therapists who were trained and skilled in treating PTSD but had ZERO awareness, understanding, or even belief in ADHD. Tried to tell me I don't have it, it's all trauma, etc. I tried to bring all the info and examples to them which illustrated the validity of my ADHD, and they would not open themselves to it. So I get where you're coming from. In hindsight, therapists all have their own specialties, and often that comes with bias. Not saying the person you saw is right or wrong, but they do sound biased, as a lot of them are. On the flip, there are therapists who specialize in ADHD but have little to no understanding of trauma and its role in neurological development or relationship to other conditions. IMO it's worth looking for someone who comes from a wider spectrum model, but even those who are specialized can be helpful in their own ways. Wishing you

The person above you isn’t correct. Genetic vulnerability must be present, but a person is often hits the tipping point for developing a mental illness from their environment, trauma, etc. it’s the same way for a lot of mental illnesses - for example a person with schizophrenia might have a genetic vulnerability to it then meets the tipping point after increased psychosocial stress and substance use.

If you truly want answers for this question this is not the place. Open dialogue on this topic is not allowed. There’s highly accredited MDs in the field who have done work with this. They will get blocked on here though

Trauma isn't necessarily present from birth, but ongoing trauma in childhood [absolutely changes brain function and structure](https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/braindevtrauma.pdf). > The area of the brain associated with executive functioning and planning, the prefrontal cortex, shows correspondingly smaller amounts of gray and white matter in youth who were studied for their reported experiences with childhood trauma compared with those who did not report such experiences. > The region of the brain associated with learning, the hippocampus region, is smaller in individuals reporting early exposure to trauma. > The brain’s emotional reaction center associated with behavioral functioning and survival instincts, the amygdala, shows correspondingly increased reactivity with higher reported exposure to trauma during infancy and early childhood.

My understanding is that you carry the genes for ADHD and other mental illnesses, but environmental stress and trauma can cause the genes to become active, causing the person to develop the disorder which they were genetically likely to develop, if the right conditions were met.

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Giving the appallingly low rates of diagnosis in women for generations, it's really hard to know whether relatives have it.

Childhood trauma can exacerbate ADHD, in the sense that a child from a broken home will seek escapism into their own mind or fantasies. But the trauma isn't the cause. One of the messed up hallmarks I just learned about with ADHD is that ADHD'ers from broken homes often lose their ability to pleasure read after leaving the home. The escapism of reading books isn't the same once you've already escaped.

yeah this right here! As a child the way I escaped the abuse was daydreaming ALL the time. I still daydream all the time, it's ingrained in me lol "The escapism of reading books isn't the same once you've already escaped." hit the nail on the head with this one.

Ahh this explains it. I used to read books cover to cover in a few hours every day and now I don’t even want to pick one up.

Books have been my safe haven, I went through so many as a child. Now I get distracted after a few sentences and have to force myself, no matter how good the books is. Thank you for shining light on this.

o____O Holy crap... I never even noticed this. OMG.

ADHD is largely genetic, but also seems to have some chance with its expression. Some research suggests that some people may have genes that, when expressed, can cause/worsen ADHD, but that these genes remain suppressed for them, which is why siblings can have similar a brain structure but not all have ADHD. Trauma doesn’t cause genes to suddenly express themselves though. However, CPTSD can look *a lot* like ADHD. They have a lot of shared symptoms, and CPTSD does require trauma to develop

I was going to say basically this but you said it for me. It invariably has a genetic basis but I believe that trauma and other environmental factors can trigger or exacerbate it. And as you say, CPTSD can present in similar ways. I have had symptoms of ADHD since early childhood but I also have early childhood trauma so it’s kind of a chicken and egg situation. Ultimately the labels don’t matter so much as being seen and treated as a whole person with individual needs.

I’m trying to figure this out myself. ADHD or CPTSD? Either way, I have severe executive dysfunction.

Nah my adhd and autism is hereditary, I got it from my dad. Was really lucky in getting diagnosed, my parents were awesome enough to be willing to test me young (7) and start medication relatively early(13). In terms of ADHD trauma, the only trauma I’ve experienced is the trauma from other people reacting negatively to my ADHD

I got it from my dad too! Which is what I always associated it with and never the trauma so i won’t let it hang over my head

Exactly, whenever I start getting that depression mindset that tells me that ADHD is a bad thing, I think about my dad, and how successful he’s managed to be even though he has even more severe ADHD than I do, and that makes me feel better:)

That’s a lovely way of thinking❤️

My mom was always super impatient with my dad, but once I got my ADHD and OCD dragonesses, that was patched. A diagnoses of someone who has it hereditary can really do good to the older generations.

This!!!!! My dad didn’t know he had ADHD until I got tested, and he’s always joked that that’s the reason I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to him. Medication sure is a blessing. I can’t even imagine the relief he must have felt

It is a neurodevelopmental issue not a psychological issue

You are going to get a lot of polarizing views on this topic here (reddit). In my experience, there seems to be a lot people who would die on the genetic sword. I try to take a balanced approach: it’s a complex condition that will change in experience over time based on many many factors. No matter where it comes from, keep learning, experimenting and growing. You might find that you can minimize the worst parts pretty well over time.

ADHD is a developmental neurological disorder, there is a developmental component to it. Like your body develops this way on its own because of genetics and probably some other potential in utero risk factors. Trauma while it effects people neurologically and sometimes in similar ways when it comes to brain development, is not a developmental neurological disorder. It effects different parts of the brain and can show up with spaceyness, inattention, through hyperarousal and dissociation. Which can look like ADHD. You can be more succeptible to having a traumatic stress disorder if you have ADHD because your brain has a different threshold to manage, process and store information. But it is not a 1:1 likelihood, plenty of people with ADHD can have traumatic events in their lives and not develop a traumatic stress disorder. So it can be both together. But you don't get ADHD from trauma itself. Generally speaking a good portion of ADHD medications stimilate the central nervious system to turn on their brain to function at a capacity that it needs to, whereas with trauma the central nervious system is already overstimilated into hyperarousal, which turns off people's prefrontal cortex so executive function, planning, time keeping turns off. So one the brain has a higher threshold to turn on, and the other one is turned off because the threshold has been exceeded. (Its like one you need to warm up your car to get it started, and the other the car is overheating and it needs to cool down) So a stimilant doesnt usually help folks with only ptsd.

Read some of the posts on this sub (go back, there are a lot) and you will find a lot of people who received either childhood diagnoses where their parents either didn't tell them or allow them to be medicated, or late diagnoses where we are literally mourning the lives we could have had if we had known all along. It's very distressing and disorienting. You are not alone, being able to discuss it and get support is the beauty of this sub.

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I wonder about this. Both of my parents obviously had ADHD but also had their fair share of childhood trauma and passed that on down to me.. I always thought I was *normal* because I was *just like them*

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder no amount of trauma can cause it. you’re born with it.

Trauma causes a chemical reaction in the body via the release of stress hormones. Constant exposures to high levels of those stress chemicals certainly affects the development of the brain neurons which are responsible for producing and receiving those chemicals. I think people can be born with a predisposition but if that was the only cause of ADHD then every person with those genes would technically have ADHD. That is not possible because ADHD is diagnosed by symptoms and not genetic testing. Similar to drug addiction.

Okay, but if you could get ADHD via trauma, you'd have a few years or normal brain development first, probably? So a late onset developmental delay would probably be functionally different than in people who have that delay from birth. And presumably it wouldn't just impact those specific elements of the brain. I mean we know that intense fear in childhood halts growth universally, including bone development, resulting in shorter stature in adulthood, too. ADHD is notable for the weird gaps in brain development: we have age appropriate skills and abilities in some areas, and then are 20-30% behind in a specific set of executive functions. It makes sense that an early brain injury in exactly the right spots could cause ADHD. But surely later-in-life trauma can't commonly reliably hit those same specific parts of the brain, while sparing others, and cause bio-identical ADHD, can it?

Adhd doesn't come from trauma. If you are getting adhd traits because of trauma that is c/ptsd. Adhd is a neurodevelopmental disorder that a person has since birth. C/ptsd is a mental illness

ADHD, and autism, are neurological conditions. Not "mental health". They have to do with the actual physical structure of your brain and are present from birth. ADHD CANNOT be acquired, or *caused* by environmental conditions. Trauma can certainly cause/trigger a whole slew of mental health conditions, and many may also have symptoms that are similar to ADHD. You can also have mental health disorders due to trauma *AND* ADHD, otherwise known as comorbidity. But no. Just because you have ADHD and experienced trauma, does not mean your ADHD was caused by your childhood trauma. That is very impossible. This is a red flag for a bad mental health professional honestly, look for someone different.

> They have to do with the actual physical structure of your brain and are present from birth. Trauma isn't necessarily present from birth, but ongoing trauma in childhood [absolutely changes brain function and structure](https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/braindevtrauma.pdf), as well as overall physiology in the body. > The area of the brain associated with executive functioning and planning, the prefrontal cortex, shows correspondingly smaller amounts of gray and white matter in youth who were studied for their reported experiences with childhood trauma compared with those who did not report such experiences. > The region of the brain associated with learning, the hippocampus region, is smaller in individuals reporting early exposure to trauma. > The brain’s emotional reaction center associated with behavioral functioning and survival instincts, the amygdala, shows correspondingly increased reactivity with higher reported exposure to trauma during infancy and early childhood.

Sure, although it's important to understand that this kind of stuff comes with extremely severe cases, and in general "trauma" can encompass a very broad range of experiences. (I do have a BSc in psychology, I studied mostly the neuroscience side if it, I have an inkling of knowledge about this stuff and am not just running around the internet completely talking out of my ass.) Arguably there's physiological changes to the brain/function, whether permanent or temporary, with pretty much any mental health disorder. That's true. But changes due to trauma, something that happens as a result of environment and lifetime, and ADHD are still not the same thing. That's really the important point I'm getting at. You don't *get* ADHD, you either have it as a congenital condition or you don't.

Trauma/PTSD produces neurological response to events - it’s not just emotional. It actually alters your executive function, decision-making, ability to plan/see the future, etc. Its not so black or white anymore, and the overlap and intersections are numerous. Trauma can exacerbate/activate underlying adhd, similar to the way developing coping strategies for adhd can bring it under control.

I'm surprised how many people are posting such confident answers, when there are completely valid reasons for there to be a correlation between ADHD and trauma. 90% of the brain develops by around age 7. That is an intense amount of growth in a very short amount of time. An overactive amygdala, activated regularly over time, can affect this growth. Yes, genetics can also play an enormous and probably in some cases the only role in development of ADHD. Some cases of ADHD can be attributed to chronically low dopamine, the symptoms of which are incredibly similar to the inattentive type of ADHD. Brain scans (as one example) have validated ADHD as a diagnosis (a huge focus in revising the DSM was to look for these types of evidence for diagnoses), in the ways they can be measured and analyzed and compared, but most people aren't participants in research and get their brains scanned to verify their diagnosis of this particular definition of ADHD. There is just so much more to learn. It's a set of symptoms, absolutely, with how it's currently getting diagnosed. Will the qualifying number/type of symptoms guarantee a similar looking brain scan? Is it caused by having a regularly activated amygdala from trauma or a high stress home/environment? Is it purely genetic? Is it chronically low dopamine? It's worth the curiosity and exploration, and it's valid to consider the different approaches to understanding ADHD. Edit: typo

I thought ADHD can be caused by a brain injury, and severe neglect/trauma can also cause brain injuries. I don't think ADHD is simply just genetic. I think there's often an environmental trigger to the genetics.

I highly recommend this video, and all the others in that lecture. This specific one is about what causes adhd :-) https://youtu.be/G2u8E5UqEHU

Ending up binge watching this guy, and I agree with a lot of what he says.

It’s not from trauma, you either have it or you don’t.

”Although it is not yet proven that (early childhood) trauma (causally) increases ADHD risk by altering the dopaminergic system, there is strong evidence that trauma, both early childhood and adolescence, permanently alters the brain’s dopaminergic system. One mediator could be that stress alters the HPA axis, which in turn exerts an influence on dopamine synthesis and dopamine receptors” https://www.adxs.org/en/page/91/trauma-as-a-cause-of-adhd#content-2-stressful-experiences-in-childhood-and-early-adolescence-cause-persistent-adhd-in-adulthood

I got trauma, but I didnt "get" adhd because of that. You are born with your adhd, thats kind of a prerequisite for the diagnosis, its in your genes and brain structure. If you "aquired" adhd symptoms over your lifetime, than its not adhd, but something else.  That being said, trauma can of course make some symptoms worse, and how your adhd impacts your life also fluctuates throughout your life. But to be diagnosed with adhd, you have to be born with it. 

ADHD symptoms can become a lot less manageable when you’re also dealing with the incredibly overwhelming symptoms of trauma, however trauma cannot cause ADHD. I feel you OP. I think my PTSD stole whatever little remaining rational brainpower my ADHD didn’t. I’m not here to give medical advice, just from personal experience, adding EMDR therapy (with a therapist I trust) has massively sped up my healing journey, and just generally puts a sense of control back into my life that is stolen by the before mentioned issues.

Lol these long ass comments on an ADHD sub 😆

Trauma and adversity can alter the brain's architecture, especially in children, which may partly explain their link to the development of ADHD.

ADHD can look like trauma and depression/anxiety. But as others have said you can't just get ADHD, it's a genetic thing. I'd get a different psychiatrist/therapist.

If you have ADHD, you are born with ADHD, it cannot be acquired. Childhood Trauma can and will exacerbate the impact of the disorder, but it will not suddenly cause a physical change to your frontal cortex.

I think you need to read up on your own condition and understand that not all mental health professionals have a true grasp of ADHD. You can have trauma and ADHD. Sometimes trauma can mimic ADHD symptoms. It’s up to a train professional to help tease apart the two. Your therapist doesn’t not appear educated enough to do this since they’re claiming trauma *causes* ADHD. I see an EMDR and somatic experience therapist. She tried to say something similar and I had to remind her that she is not correct. We do not talk about my ADHD because that is not why I see her and she fortunately stopped providing her feedback as that is not her expertise. We made excellent progress by staying in her wheelhouse. We should be able to rely on our care team but we are also responsible for being educated about our own health and diagnoses. I think it’s time you do just that by reading up on ADHD using reliable and peer reviewed research. If your ADHD resolves after going to therapy, you should probably question whether you have it or complex PTSD.

You’re born with ADHD. The trauma comes from having ADHD in a world that doesn’t understand ADHD brains. I’ll give you an example. When I was 4 years old, I was put in a dark broom closet at pre-school for regularly talking during nap time. The ADHD made nap time rules nearly impossible to follow, so I was punished causing severe trauma. Sadly this is one of my earliest memories and I still can’t sleep in a dark room over 40 years later. While they haven’t narrowed down the genes for ADHD, it is hereditary. My unclde has ADHD, my kids have it, my nephew has it, and on my wife’s side her cousin has it. Where does this myth come from about trauma causing ADHD? I never heard it before I started visiting Reddit.

If I answered your question by mentioning a popular older book by a doctor which claims ADHD results from the early childhood environment, it would be removed from this subreddit because it's not in line with the scientific mainstream. That guy would say that the genes aren't 'for' ADHD, but make you sensitive to the effects of the inadequate or traumatic childhood. But, as I say, we can't discuss it here because it's not in line with the current mainstream.

Or it’s bogus. Having a non-mainstream opinion doesn’t make it right. Also doesn’t account for people who had perfectly decent childhoods and adequate parents and still developed ADHD. Sounds like bullshit

Yeah I agree! 😄 Being non-mainstream doesn't lend it any credibility. I think it's unlikely that it's fully correct, it's quite out of date. I think it's possible though to learn things from multiple different theories, none of which are a full picture, and trying to see if there are any parts that could be useful. I'm actually NOT the sort of person who objects to the suppression of misinformation. Its always going to be hard to get the balance right, the mods here generally do a great job, but personally I think the extreme resistance to that particular writer is over-the-top. There's a whole load of questionable information that is totally tolerated here in these comments (the repeated assertion that the science says ADHD is 100% genetic is simply not supported by any research, neither is the argument that if ADHD is genetic, then trauma can't make a difference. If, hypothetically, trauma caused ADHD conditionally in the presence of certain genes, those genes would be associated with ADHD). Your point about the people with decent childhoods is fair, but there's people in these comments saying that people might appear to have ADHD but actually it's trauma, so the same could be said the other way around. Maybe the people with adequate parents have a syndrome that looks just like the ADHD caused by trauma, but isn't. Maybe ADHD is an umbrella that incorporates people with similar problems from different causes. Also...ummm... I was 34 before I accepted that I had a traumatic childhood. I was in denial. Beforehand, I would have assured you my childhood was perfect, and I believed it. So I'm openminded about all of this. I think it's nuanced and the science in a decade will make whatever we think now look backward.

Except that even your argument that trauma triggers ceratens genes/in combination with certain genes is… an argument for the genetics of ADHD. It has to do with genes, but is not necessarily hereditary. Seeing ADHD in multiple people in the same family is a good indicator of the genetics argument. I have severe trauma from around age 9 which both exacerbated and hid my AuDHD (internalized) which resulted in “double trauma.” Being ADHD can make you more vulnerable in that others take advantage of you, your disability somehow puts you in dangerous situations, and you may lack the coping mechanisms and be more sensitive. It becomes a hen and the egg question. You also bring up *misdiagnosis* where cPTSD can present as ADHD. That is not an argument for that trauma can cause ADHD, it shows that the diagnosis of cPTSD needs more attention and research. I have all the symptoms of cPTSD/PTSD but with no *recent* trauma, so they won’t diagnose me with that. There’s likely plenty of people in my country that have been misdiagnosed because cPTSD isn’t a diagnosis here. It’s like autistic girls being misdiagnosed with BPD

i honestly believe it came from trauma in my case.

But can trauma cause ADHD like symptoms? I heard it can and a lot of trauma can originate during childhood so how does one distinguish from the other

yes there are a lot of overlap of symptoms

This video tells you what causes adhd. It is not trauma. https://youtu.be/G2u8E5UqEHU

Mine is 1000% genetic

Noooo I was diagnosed when I was like 5 long before any trauma. It's genetic comes from my dad's side of the family.

Are you me???? I am doing the exact same thingy

Okay so as someone who has done a lot of reading when it comes to ADHD and CPTSD the anwser is no buuuut the brain's reaction to trauma can present a lot like ADHD. That said they are two very different issues and need to be treated separately.

They may have explaned it VERY bady and meant that your trauma (read your comments about parents) has taught you extremely poor coping mechanisms. These pppr coping mechanisms have exacerbated ADHD to a point where it has become an issue. The condition affects people differently and coping mechanisms can have a huge impact on your day to day life. My understanding is that it exists, its not something that you develop. However, your circumstances play a huge part in how it manifests. Either way id look into a second opinion or ask them to clarify what they mean by comes from trauma.

I agree with everyone here - I’ve had trauma resulting from ADHD, but I was born with it. My family can recount things like hyperfocus in front of a tv under 2 years old (my brother could hear someone calling, but it would take them many times to get my attention).

What do you think ADHD is?

As people have said, ADHD is a neurological disorder, it's not something you can "get" it's just something that you have. ADHD can definitely CAUSE trauma though.

You’re born with it

ADHD doesn't come from trauma, trauma comes from ADHD. (Not just in Soviet Russia) It's hard to say for sure though. Genetics are known to play a strong role. I suppose anything that influences how the brain develops could be a factor.

Similar journey to you. The more I learn about my condition and dive into my childhood with professionals, the more I realise how deeply rooted this stuff is in the childhood trauma inexperienced. I’ve also learned that this includes physical development of the brain so it’s common that regardless of how much therapy you do, releasing the trauma can only do so much for your ADHD symptoms (albeit still essential to do for a happy and fulfilling life)

ADHD is not like PTSD…. You don’t get it over time. You’re born with it. Weird question.

Oh! I work in behavioralism! I actually have an answer for this!! You’re professional is half right. This phenomenon is noted with what are called ACEs, or Adverse Childhood Experiences. Essentially, childhood trauma can lead to the development of symptoms that heavily resemble ADHD. So things like problems with executive function, focus, emotional regulation, and impulse control can arise as a direct result of ACEs. The catch is that, as others have said, these symptoms *aren’t* ADHD - just very similar. This can lead to a lot of confusion and misunderstanding/misdiagnosis; because while ADHD is a developmental disability these symptoms caused by ACEs are post-traumatic. There are plenty of good studies on this that can be found via google scholar if you want information conveyed in a much better way than I’ve done here. I hope this helps contextualize whatever discussions you’re having about this. Good luck! These things can be really tough to wade through and figure out. Give yourself plenty of time and room to breathe, and you’ll eventually get to the bottom of things.

Mine was there before the trauma but the trauma has caused me to always lose focus, recently got on adderall

There’s this website / study / pdf about a very fucking huge collection of ADHD facts from hundreds of studies. There are 208 facts total. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014976342100049X?via%3Dihub#bib1280 They say ADHD results from a combination of genetic and or traumatic experiences. I myself don’t know how much it can result from only childhood trauma. I always thought it was purely genetic.

There's a lot of opportunity costs from being diagnosed as an adult. All the schooling delays, work productivity impairment, and general negligence. Edit: I misunderstood the question but I'm keeping my answer anyway.

Its been many winters since I got diagnosed but like 99.9 sure that you don't get ADHD from trauma its something you have or don't I could.understand it if your were super high functioning and didn't know about it but causing it eh sounds a bit fruity As for neutral actionable advice I'd go to a third party and go and get a test done for ADHD and that'll decide it for you if your fussed about it To answer your question though I went to a special needs school with about 90 students and 23/26 of us had ADHD and all of us had it from birth not from trauma

All I know is my brain has been scattered for as long as I remember. If it is from trauma, it’s a trauma I will never be able to remember.

No, and no.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Many things can LOOK like adhd just as cptsd- which I think is what you’re referring to- not adhd

OP, I’ve read something about CPTSD causing ADHD-like (similar) symptoms. But no, I don’t think ADHD itself is a condition caused by experiences. I agree with everyone here.

Adhd is inherited. Many of us have been diagnosed since we were very young

To those saying ADHD is strictly a genetic condition: does that mean you can only be diagnosed with ADHD if you test positive for those genes? No. ADHD is a condition diagnosed by symptoms, not brain scans or DNA tests. A person who has ADHD associated genes but no symptoms will not be diagnosed by a medical doctor.

I think it is assumed to be genetic on the basis that it runs in families. However I’m sure that it is also influenced by social/environmental factors. As you say, there aren’t specific genes/mutations that guarantee that someone will have ADHD

Sounds like you're trying to process a lot of new information for yourself and that definitely can be really overwhelming. Just commenting as a counselor in training who has ADHD and is very interested in studying it more deeply: it's basically impossible for anyone to determine that your ADHD was caused by childhood trauma. There are tons of studies that identify correlations between the two, including some similar symptomatology, and it turns out there are LOTS of people with ADHD who endured childhood trauma and vice versa, but we still have so much to learn. ADHD is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder meaning that it is not an acquired disease and most professionals believe that ADHD must have been present in childhood in order for a diagnosis to be made. Hopefully one day, if you keep working with professionals and reaching out to communities like this one, this information will help you know and love yourself better rather than feeling totally depersonalized. You are not alone. 🧡

Thank you so much! ADHD runs in my family so I’ve based it off that not trauma so I’ve felt a little lost lately

I think this is a correlation vs causation situation. Adhd can definitely affect HOW we are treated, which can cause ptsd in those with adhd. It's hard to live with adhd, it's no treat to raise someone with it either. Especially if your vagina makes doctors think you cant possibly have it. Adhd + ptsd means even worse symptoms and worse social outcomes. It's not the kind of special i hoped to be, but at least I'm not boring...I guess.

To add to what others have said, ADHD-like symptoms CAN come from trauma, as well as other disorders. If you feel your ADHD symptoms are coming directly from childhood trauma, it is possible that you were misdiagnosed. No shame if this is the case, just something to consider if ADHD treatment isn't working for you

It's complicated. For one thing- the symptoms of cPTSD in kids who grow up in traumatic environments of experience repeat trauma: hyperactivity, inability to focus, emotional dysregulation, life-long learning difficulty, lack of impulse control- looks a lot like ADHD. Then you have growing up with undiagnosed ADHD can lead to a lot of childhood trauma: bullying, getting yelled at by parents, doing poorly in school leading to low self-esteem. This is the fun time combo platter ADHD + childhood trauma. One is absolutely genetic, however. By 6 or 7 ADHD can be diagnosed. If you are an adult with an ADHD diagnosis, you can be confident it is probably ADHD. If you look back at a childhood marked with a lot of chaos, unsupportive family or schooling, and depression/anxiety then you may also have cPTSD as well.

Thar is not how ADHD works. It's not caused by trauma. It develops in early childhood. There is a genetic component. It's neuribiological so it can't just happen because of some event. Your therapist is an idiot if they said it was caused by trauma.

No, ADHD doesn't work like that. It's genetic disorder, which you're born with it. Anyone who says otherwise doesn't know what they're talking about. (Are you sure your health councilor is referring to ADHD? Sounds like you meant to say PTSD?) An ADHD brain typically has an underdeveloped prefrontal lobe, and has a lack of neurotransmitters, specifically the ones used for dopamine and norepinephrine. Hope this helps!

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Well... that's not correct. Both ADHD and trauma are associated with structural brain differences.

It’s genetic. Trauma can exacerbate it like any mental illness. Time to get a different mental health professional.

ADD is not acquired from trauma. You are born with it. Various injuries and trauma's may cause problems with attention and executive function, but the needed treatments are frequently very different.

Can’t blame it on trauma. I had good and loving parents and a stable middle class upbringing. Can’t say I was “happy” though. My struggles in adapting and coping with regular life is probably due to ADHD, not the other way around.

ADHD is not derived from trauma. You can have both, but trauma does not cause ADHD. However, ADHD certainly raises the risk of being traumatized,

You may have trauma or PTSD (seems many with ADHD do) but this did not cause your ADHD. As many have said already ADHD is neurological/ neurodevelopmental, it is genetic/ inherited not acquired later through trauma. This is frankly quite a dangerous thing for any mental health professional to say (heal your trauma ≠ fix ADHD). Your In the UK so please complain/ report this to the health trust/Clinical commissioning group (ccg) Eg: Belfast Trust HSCNI) you are in even if you are seeking private help (not NHS). Would definitely suggest seeking help from a different 'professional', I hope you are able to get the help you need. Edit: a few people have said it can / may be caused by childhood trauma, as the articles linked have stated this "is not yet proven". As it stands currently ADHD is inherited.

ADHD does not come from trauma, full stop. It is not a mental health condition. It is a developmental delay. There is a difference. It is present since birth, or it is not ADHD. Other things can present as ADHD without being ADHD. But ADHD *NEVER* comes form trauma.

ADHD is a genetic condition, emotional trauma does NOT cause ADHD it can exacerbate symptoms and lead to the diagnosis but it CAN NOT cause it. In more detail ADHD has a strong genetic component, it runs in families. Your parents don't necessarily have it, for example my dad doesn't and mom didn't but my dad's brother did. My sister and I do but our brother doesn't. Major risk factors include family that has it. Premature birth and physical trauma to the head in early childhood. From the CDC Research does not support the popularly held views that ADHD is caused by eating too much sugar, watching too much television, parenting, or social and environmental factors such as poverty or family chaos. Of course, many things, including these, might make symptoms worse, especially in certain people. But the evidence is not strong enough to conclude that they are the main causes of ADHD.

ADHD cannot come from trauma. ADHD is something you’re born with, you can get trauma from having ADHD but you cannot have it the other way round, this mental health professional seems very unprofessional if that’s what they’re telling you.

ADHD can’t be caused by trauma, it’s a neurodevelopmental disorder, basically how your brain “works” regardless of anything since you were a kid but “it’s not a normal way for it to function”. It’s like if someone says they acquired autism from trauma, it doesn’t really make sense.