Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk, NYT bestselling author and trauma research pioneer, discusses the link between trauma and ADHD. They question the validity of the DSM, explore alternative approaches for helping children with ADHD, and discuss the role of medication. The importance of somatic healing and co-regulation with others is emphasized, highlighting the transformative process of parenting.
The symptoms of ADHD can have multiple origins and are often observed behaviors rather than true diagnoses, challenging the validity of the DSM.
Labeling children with mental disorders, including ADHD, can lead to a deep sense of shame and a belief that one is defective, highlighting the potential negative consequences of labeling.
Deep dives
The Link Between Trauma and ADHD
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk discusses the link between trauma and ADHD. He challenges the validity of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and emphasizes that the symptoms of ADHD can have multiple origins. These symptoms are often observed behaviors rather than true diagnoses. Dr. van der Kolk stresses the importance of understanding the individual child and their unique experiences. He highlights the need to create environments that promote safety and explore activities that help children focus and concentrate, such as theater, martial arts, or playing musical instruments.
The Impact of Labeling Children with Mental Disorders
Dr. van der Kolk cautions against labeling children with mental disorders, including ADHD. He highlights the potential negative consequences of labeling, as it can lead to a deep sense of shame and a belief that one is defective. He emphasizes the importance of being careful when assigning diagnoses and encourages parents to explore alternative approaches to helping their children, such as engaging in visible activities and restoring balance in the body. Dr. van der Kolk shares personal experiences of opting for non-medication approaches, like martial arts, theater, and playing music, to help his own child with ADHD-like symptoms.
Working with the Body to Address Trauma
Dr. van der Kolk discusses the significance of addressing trauma by working with the body. He emphasizes the importance of nurturing a friendly relationship with one's body, as trauma often leads to dissociation and feeling at war with oneself. Dr. van der Kolk suggests that engaging in activities like yoga, martial arts, and other forms of exercise can help individuals feel safe and in sync with their bodies and other people. He also emphasizes the importance of co-regulation and finding ways to synchronize with others for pleasure and healing.
THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE is an intimate conversation with NYT bestselling author Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk about the connection between ADHD & Trauma and about the importance of helping our children co-regulate within their environment.
A psychiatrist by training, Dr. Van Der Kolk has been a pioneer in trauma research for decades now and leads the Trauma Research Foundation. His 2014 book “The Body Keeps the Score,” quickly became a bestseller. And although the book was first released seven years ago, it currently sits at No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list.
Bessel van der Kolk MD spends his career studying how children and adults adapt to traumatic experiences, and he has translated emerging findings from neuroscience and attachment research to develop & study a range of treatments for traumatic stress in children and adults.
He has focused on studying treatments that stabilize physiology, increase executive functioning and help traumatized individuals to feel fully alert to the present. This has included an National Institute of Mental Health funded study on EMDR and a National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine funded study of yoga, and, in recent years, the study of neurofeedback to investigate whether attentional and perceptual systems - and the neural tracks responsible for them - can be altered by changing EEG patterns.
For more information on Dr. Van der Kolk's work, visit https://www.besselvanderkolk.com
For more information on this podcast, please visit www.adhdisover.com
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