236 FOCUSED Member Chat: How Does Generational Trauma Impact Us?
Nov 7, 2023
55:05
auto_awesome Snipd AI
A discussion on generational trauma's impact on adult ADHDers. CJ shares her experience of undiagnosed ADHD and emotional neglect. Therapy and coaching helped her work through trauma and prevent passing it down. Importance of seeking trauma-informed help emphasized. Community support and group coaching program's positive effects highlighted. The impact of generational trauma on family dynamics explored. ADHD's overlap with complex trauma discussed. Optimism about late-diagnosed individuals learning to thrive.
Read more
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
auto_awesome
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
Generational trauma can heavily impact individuals with ADHD, leading to emotional neglect and a lack of understanding of their actions.
A late ADHD diagnosis can be challenging to unravel but with perseverance, unlearning negative messages, and determination, individuals can thrive and create fulfilling lives with ADHD.
Deep dives
Late Diagnosis and Generational Trauma: An ADHD Journey
CJ, a client from a focused ADHD coaching program, opens up about her late ADHD diagnosis at the age of 51. She shares her experience of growing up with parents who also likely had ADHD, highlighting the theme of generational trauma and undiagnosed ADHD in her family. CJ discusses the impact of her undiagnosed ADHD throughout her life, including impulsive behavior, lack of self-awareness, and emotional dysregulation. She describes the process of accidentally discovering her diagnosis and the relief she felt when she started medication. CJ emphasizes the importance of accepting her limitations, communicating her needs, and seeking therapy to address emotional issues. She reflects on the effects of not receiving the support she needed in childhood, such as low self-esteem, people-pleasing behaviors, and fear of rejection. However, she remains optimistic and encourages others with late ADHD diagnoses to undergo treatment, unlearn detrimental messages, and work towards thriving despite the challenges.
Exploring Nature versus Nurture and ADHD
The conversation delves into the interplay between nature and nurture in relation to ADHD. CJ reflects on whether her symptoms could be attributed to ADHD, complex PTSD, or a combination of both. She acknowledges that the influence of genetics and biology can predispose individuals to ADHD, while environmental factors, such as traumatic experiences, can exacerbate symptoms. CJ highlights the importance of understanding the complexity of these factors and the unique cocktail of life experiences that shape each person's ADHD journey. She emphasizes the significance of diagnosis, symptom management, and tools for addressing ADHD, regardless of the exact nature of its origin.
The Journey to Healing and Thriving with Late ADHD Diagnosis
CJ offers words of encouragement to individuals who receive a late diagnosis of ADHD. While acknowledging the challenges of unraveling years of unlearned behaviors and detrimental self-perceptions, she firmly states that thriving is possible. CJ attests to the importance of perseverance, unlearning negative messages, and refusing to give up on oneself. She shares her personal journey of shifting from a mindset of giving up and pretending to one of self-acceptance and determination. CJ expresses her commitment to doing what is necessary to create a fulfilling life with ADHD and encourages others to embrace the same mindset.
When it comes to the way we function as adults, our family history plays a much larger role than many of us think. In this podcast episode, I’m talking with FOCUSED member CJ about generational trauma and its impact on adult ADHDers.
Growing up, CJ's parents emotionally neglected her as they were dealing with their own emotional immaturity and symptoms of ADHD. Meanwhile, CJ was struggling with undiagnosed ADHD which caused her to act out without anyone to turn to.
When she received an official ADHD diagnosis at 51 years old, CJ started to research the symptoms and realized her family was heavily affected by ADHD. This realization helped her start to make sense of some of the generational trauma she experienced as a child and teen.
It also helped to explain her impulsive, risk-taking behavior growing up. CJ was always unaware of her actions, lacked self-awareness, and never understood why people reacted to her the way they did.
As an adult, she carried some of this emotional dysregulation with her. Fortunately, through therapy and life coaching, she was able to work through some of her own trauma to prevent handing it down to her daughter.
If you’ve experienced generational trauma that you know has impacted your life, I highly recommend you seek out a trauma-informed therapist or coach to help you. You might want to check out my group coaching program, FOCUSED, which is a safe space where you can join others like you who are recognizing the effects of their history and beginning to thrive as an adult with ADHD.