Trauma

 It became very clear to me when I began to work with fellow autistic and ADHD folk that unfortunately, trauma is often a core part of being autistic or ADHD. Of course, a lot of people who are seeking therapy are doing so because they have experienced something difficult and want support with that. What's different for many autistic and ADHD folk is that trauma has often been experienced many, many times in their lives and most have no idea that one of the things they are struggling with is the long-term effects and impacts of unresolved trauma.

There are a few reasons why someone who is autistic and/or ADHD is more likely to experience trauma. We have sensitive nervous systems that are hyperconnected and the range of experiences we have that are likely to cross the threshold of what is experienced as trauma is much lower. Also, because of some inherent vulnerabilities as autistic and/or ADHD folk, we are much more likely to have faced increased rates of criticism, bullying, medical gaslighting and many forms of abuse from individuals or systems. Systems can be things like education, employment and healthcare. It can also be a lot harder for us to recognise we've experienced trauma and to seek appropriate support.

What is missing right now is the understanding of how to work with autistic and ADHD folk who have experienced trauma. As we are not researched as an individual group very often, the understanding of trauma is based on neurotypical people and therefore therapies and treatments are also designed with a neurotypical brain in mind. There are a few researchers and autistic/ADHD therapists who are working to develop more understanding of how we as a group differ in our reactions to trauma and how to best work with it. When someone works with me, they can be confident that I am attuned to how being autistic/ADHD affects them as an individual and that my approach to working with trauma will always be from a neurodivergent perspective. Any training I have done has always led me to think about and seek answers to how that training may need to be adjusted to account for neurodivergent brains and out nervous systems. 

Trauma is a complex topic but many people I work with really benefit from understanding how their nervous systems work, what experiences are stressful for them and how to accommodate their needs, how to monitor themselves for signs of distress and try to prevent trauma occurring and most importantly, how they can take steps to reclaim some power over their lives and recover. It's not an easy process but it can be life-changing if done with care and understanding the autistic/ADHD individual at the core of it.

If you're interested in learning more about this topic and want to explore it further, I can highly recommend the work of Trauma Geek, whose research is deepening my understanding of trauma in neurodivergent folk. You can find here here:  Trauma Geek - Janae Elisabeth.