Dr. Monica Johnson joins Laura to talk about a topic that comes up a lot on ADHD Aha!: ADHD and trauma. She explains how trauma and ADHD can look alike and whether ADHD can lead to trauma. Dr. J, as she’s known, also talks about misdiagnosis, treatment, and how to support someone who’s struggling. 

This episode contains discussion about trauma, PTSD, and examples of traumatic events. It’s intended for educational purposes, but may not be for everyone. You can visit mentalhealthhotline.org, or rainn.org for support.

Related resources

• 6 ways ADHD and PTSD can look alike
• Trauma, learning differences, and kids of color (from The Opportunity Gap podcast)
• MissUnderstood: The ADHD in Women Channel

Timestamps

(04:05) Dr. J defines trauma

(05:18) The difference between trauma and PTSD

(07:59) Can trauma cause ADHD? Can ADHD cause trauma?

(09:51) Misdiagnosis

(16:50) What happens when you have both ADHD and trauma

(19:25) Possible treatment

(23:54) How can caregivers and loved ones support someone who has ADHD and trauma?

(28:13) More on ADHD and... on the MissUnderstood podcast channel

To get a transcript of this show and check out more episodes, visit the ADHD Aha! podcast page at Understood.

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Understood is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give