Online Counselling for ADHD symptoms
You’re having difficulties with concentration, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, and some well-meaning health care professional diagnosed you with ADHD. That’s a handy label that our medical establishment can use to justify pharmaceutical interventions, additional resource deployment, and workplace accommodations. It’s a label that allows society to say: “your brain is wired wrong; you have a disability”.
Here's the thing; there is no conclusive test for ADHD. There is no way to prove that your symptoms are related to misfiring neurons or chemical imbalances. ADHD is nothing more than a cluster of symptoms that a health care provider can subjectively interpret and label as a disorder. These professionals rarely look past the symptoms, and so they miss the potential underlying causes that contribute to the development of nearly identical symptoms.
Trauma-related symptoms, such as hypervigilance, heightened startle response, and an inability to relax or feel safe, can easily be mistaken for hyperactivity or impulsivity associated with ADHD. Moreover, the challenges in regulating emotions and coping with stress that arise from complex trauma are often misinterpreted as inattention or distractibility.
ADHD Virtual Counselling
The misdiagnosis of ADHD instead of recognizing the complex trauma can have far-reaching consequences. It leads to inappropriate treatments, such as stimulant medications, that may not effectively address the root causes of the trauma. Additionally, it can hinder the healing process and delay access to appropriate trauma-informed therapies and interventions.
ADHD is misdiagnosed at extraordinary levels, and these errant diagnoses cause harm to millions of complex trauma victims every year. Healthcare professionals and clinicians need to be aware of the potential overlap between complex trauma and ADHD symptoms. Taking a comprehensive and trauma-informed approach, which includes a thorough evaluation of an individual’s trauma history and symptoms can help ensure an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment interventions. If you received a diagnosis of ADHD from a health care professional who did not thoroughly investigate your adverse childhood experiences, you may be receiving treatment that is, at best, unhelpful, and at worst, harmful.
Complex trauma can certainly contribute to the development of ADHD symptoms. Profound and distressing events in childhood have long-lasting effects on emotional and psychological well-being. Childhood abuse and neglect by those who are supposed to provide love, care, and security can disrupt the attachment bonds and lead to feelings of abandonment, rejection, and a sense of not being wanted or valued.
The impact of complex trauma extends well beyond the initial event itself. It can result in a range of emotional, behavioural, and relational challenges that can persist into adulthood. These may include difficulties with trust, self-esteem, forming and maintaining relationships, and regulating emotions.
The good news is that if your ADHD symptoms are actually trauma responses, help is available. Trauma responses are learned, and they can be unlearned. At Kintsugi Counselling we offer a unique and powerful approach to healing trauma that goes beyond traditional talk therapy.
Our experts will help you address the underlying causes of your complex trauma in a safe and supportive environment. Unlike other therapies that focus solely on symptom management, we recognize the impact of early relational and attachment trauma on the nervous system. By exploring the ways in which your past experiences shape your present-day responses, we help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your trauma-related symptoms.
ADHD Psychotherapy
At Kintsugi Counselling, we are able to identify and address how complex trauma can contribute to ADHD-like symptoms. By recognizing that these symptoms arise as adaptive survival strategies in response to trauma, we help to reframe them in a new light. This reframing allows for a more comprehensive and holistic approach to treatment, addressing both the trauma and the associated symptoms.
Our therapists will provide you with practical tools and strategies to regulate your emotions and manage stress which directly impacts your ADHD-like symptoms. By focusing on building self-awareness, self-regulation, and fostering healthy relationships, we support you to develop the necessary skills to reduce impulsivity, improve attention, and enhance your overall executive functioning.
Additionally, our approach emphasizes the importance of integrating mind, body, and spirit in the healing process. By engaging in both somatic and psychodynamic practices, you will learn to connect with your authentic self and release stored trauma.
Our therapy offers a transformative approach to resolving complex trauma and alleviating symptoms that are often mistaken for ADHD. By addressing the root causes of trauma and providing practical tools for regulation, we empower our clients to heal, grow, and thrive. For many, this approach has been life-changing, as it has allowed them to find true healing and reclaim their lives from the grips of trauma and misdiagnosis.