Neuroscientists disagree on precisely how many neurons our brain is comprised of – some say over 80 billion, while others have claimed over 100 billion. Either way, it’s a staggering number.

People generally don’t question when others have different physical features, and it is often assumed that everyone’s brain is more or less wired the same. For years, medical science thought the same thing – people had regular neurological wiring, or different wiring, which insinuated some sort of problem. However, as we move towards a more inclusive and accepting world, scientists have come to realise that no two brains are wired up precisely the same. We’re all a little bit different, and this is where the idea of neurodiversity comes into play.

What Is Neurodiversity?

As with many fields of neuroscience, there isn’t an exact definition of neurodiversity. Originally coined in 1988 by Judy Singer in her Sociology honours thesis, the idea is now the subject of many different scientific papers and studies.

Neurodiversity refers to differences between human brains that affect sociability, learning, mood, attention, and other mental functions. It challenges the view that any deviation from the norm is pathological and a disability, instead suggesting that societal barriers are the main contributing factor that disables people. Originally used to describe those on the autism spectrum, it now encompasses a huge range of conditions from ADHD to Parkinson’s disease.

Neurodiversity and Trauma

Trauma occurs in response to events where we feel unsafe, threatened, or distressed. People often associate extreme events such as witnessing death, serious injury, war, or natural disasters as common sources of trauma, and they’re right. Instances such as these can leave a lasting imprint on our nervous system.

However, we are all different, and as a result, so is our response to the world. This means that trauma is highly subjective – what might not register for one person could be life-changing for another. Anything that puts us under sufficient levels of stress can be potentially traumatic and could range from feeling unheard to not having our educational needs met in school.^[1]

As such, when considering trauma treatment, we must pay close attention to how the individual in question experiences the world rather than how we would. We need to validate each individual’s unique response if we are to make trauma treatment as inclusive as possible. Below, we explore just a few of the many ways in which neurodivergent people may experience trauma.

Traumatic Sensory Overload

People with differing sensory experiences often find the world a hard place to inhabit. For most of us, the sound of a fire alarm, leaf blower, or a crisp packet crackling wouldn’t even register; we’d forget about it the minute it passed. However, these sounds can be completely overwhelming for those prone to sensory overload, causing their nervous system to move into fight, flight, or freeze.^[2]

This is compounded by the fact that these experiences are often invalidated or not accommodated by others around them. As a result, people often learn to mask their threat response because they don’t want to show fear or embarrass themselves, which does not allow the nervous system to complete the threat cycle.

Bullying and Social Isolation

Unfortunately, certain neurodivergents experience bullying and isolation to a far higher degree than the rest of the population.^[3] It goes without saying that bullying is an incredibly distressing experience and is enough to cause long-term trauma and PTSD.

However, what is often not discussed is the trauma of feeling different. Humans exist within certain societal behavioural norms, and we often shun people who break those perceived norms. As a species, we crave connection with other people, and this is no less true for neurodivergents than it is for the rest of society.

If people cannot feel they can form meaningful bonds with their peers, it can leave them feeling misunderstood, dejected, and distressed. This can also lead to people masking their neurodiversity in an effort to fit in, further exacerbating the feeling they can’t embrace their true selves.

Difficulty Communicating

We need to be able to convey our feelings to others in order to feel safe and to have our needs met. However, navigating the landscape of social communication can be difficult for neurodivergent people.

This is especially true for those who struggle with uncertainty. What might come across as a neurodivergent being inflexible, rigid, or stubborn could very well be them attempting to remain in a state where they feel safe. This can result in misunderstandings and people being labelled as difficult and can also be a barrier to receiving proper treatment and care.^[4]

Conclusion

While this is by no means an exhaustive list of the ways in which neurodivergent people can be more susceptible to trauma than the rest of the population, it can provoke thought and reflection.

If we are to make trauma treatment and recovery as comprehensive as possible, we need to not only consider an individual’s circumstances, but the unique way in which they perceive said circumstances.

If you have a client or know of someone struggling with any of the issues discussed, reach out to us at Khiron Clinics. We believe that we can improve therapeutic outcomes and avoid misdiagnosis by providing an effective residential program and outpatient therapies addressing underlying psychological trauma. Allow us to help you find the path to realistic, long-lasting recovery. For more information, call us today. UK: 020 3811 2575 (24 hours). USA: (866) 801 6184 (24 hours).

Sources

^[1] ​​van der Kolk, Bessel A. “The Body Keeps The Score: Memory And The Evolving Psychobiology Of Posttraumatic Stress”. Harvard Review Of Psychiatry, vol 1, no. 5, 1994, pp. 253-265. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), doi:10.3109/10673229409017088. Accessed 18 July 2021.

^[2] ​​Scheydt, Stefan et al. “Sensory overload: A concept analysis.” International journal of mental health nursing vol. 26,2 (2017): 110-120. doi:10.1111/inm.12303

^[3] Zablotsky, Benjamin et al. “Risk factors for bullying among children with autism spectrum disorders.” Autism : the international journal of research and practice vol. 18,4 (2014): 419-27. doi:10.1177/1362361313477920

^[4] Autistic People May Not Receive Treatment For PTSD | LDT”. LDT, 2021, https://www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/autistic-people-may-not-receive-treatment-they-treatment-they-need-for-likely-ptsd.

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A project funded by the EU called NEWROFEED seeks to bring otherwise difficult to access treatment to children’s homes through methods inspired by neurofeedback. Neurofeedback is a common therapy type offered to patients with ADHD, depression, and other mental health disorders. Connecting the brain to a computer by way of a cap loaded with wires, patients are able to see the functions and responses of their brain in real time. Working through challenges given by a licensed and certified practitioner, people with ADHD can practice thought-management skills and watch how their brain function improves.

ADHD And Trauma

ADHD and the link to trauma or PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, is relatively new. ADHD is not considered a mood or a personality disorder, which are most often tied to the experience of trauma and the difficulty one might have overcoming their trauma. However, the symptoms of ADHD do relate to what might be symptoms of trauma.

Common symptoms of ADHD affect an individual’s social skills, academic skills, job skills, interpersonal skills, and more. The hyperactive brain is moving fast than the rest of the brain can keep up with. Impulsivity and a propensity toward risk-taking is common as part of a generally unsettled brain.

Hyperactivity of the brain and hyperarousal, a common symptom of trauma as well as PTSD, go hand in hand. Someone who has been through trauma has been impacted in the nervous system, which manages and regulates the way they respond to life. People who have lived through trauma might be jumpy, hypersensitive to certain tastes, sounds, or sensations, emotionally reactive, and impulsive. When the nervous system is impacted, the way an individual chemically relates to the world is impacted, impacting how they operate within that world. ADHD is just one of many potential manifestations of trauma which can develop if trauma goes unresolved and untreated.

Trauma is most often the root cause of many emotional, behavioral, and mood disorders. Until you can heal your trauma, you will find great difficulty finding the healing you need to live a life of recovery, health, and wellness. At Khiron House, we provide effective residential treatment and cutting edge therapies which seek to transform mind, body, and spirit from the effects of trauma. Call us today for information. UK: 020 3811 2575 (24 hours) USA: (866) 801 6184 (24 hours).

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Children with ADHD are hyperactive in more ways than their energy. Hyperactivity in the mind can lead to difficulty processing information from the outside world. Organization, executing tasks, fulfilling responsibilities, comprehension skills, and other necessary functions for growing children are strained by the hyperactive brain. Children can struggle to fall or stay asleep, have difficulty regulating their emotions, and often experience impulsivity. ADHD can last into adulthood making every day activities of adult life a challenge.

The Center for Disease Control in the United States has reported that nearly one in every ten children receives a diagnosis of ADHD. Research from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine examined the relationship between ADHD and the prevalence of digital media in young adults’ lives. Ten high schools and about 3,000 students in the Los Angeles area participated in the study. Students were followed from their sophomore year to their senior year of American high school. Across the board, students who used digital media more frequently were more likely to have symptoms of ADHD. The study does not prove causation, however, it does provide concrete evidence that overuse of digital media can inspire or worsen ADHD symptoms.

Hyperactivity is excitement in the brain and the body. Trauma impacts the nervous system, altering the way the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system respond to outside stimuli. Many symptoms of trauma are excited symptoms, activating the sympathetic nervous system and the fight or flight response. Digital media is proven to cause stimulation in the brain similar to the same stimulation caused by hard drugs like cocaine. Exciting the system can trigger the trauma responses in the mind and body and vice versa, resulting in hyperactivity and difficulties with attention.

Providing effective residential care and cutting edge treatments, seeking trauma recovery at Khiron House offers healing for many common mental health problems and manifestations of trauma. If you haven’t found the treatment solution you need to sustain a life of recovery, your journey is here waiting for you to begin. For information, please call UK: 020 3811 2575 (24 hours) USA: (866) 801 6184 (24 hours).

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