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ADHD, autism or complex trauma? [pdf]

228 points · 265 comments · skeptical1884

  1. INTPenis · · focus · HN ↗
    The whole ADHD and trauma link is very interesting. I'm not a scientist, but from personal experience every single person I've met with ADHD has had severe childhood trauma. So it really makes you wonder if that old theory is right about childhood trauma triggering an overload to a child's flight or fight response, which leads to ADHD.

    Especially when the trauma involes a caretaker. Parents are like a child's image of god, and for one to turn against the child is devastating.

    1. luckydata · · focus · HN ↗
      this is simply not true, and there's tons of scientific evidence of the contrary. ADHD makes you vulnerable to abuse because generally speaking people have a hard time dealing with the foibles of ADHD people. That makes you a target. We know that from science, there's no point in theorizing. ADHD is mostly genetic, highly hereditary and both under diagnosed and under treated. That's all there is to it.
      1. anonthrownaway · · focus · HN ↗
        You are arguing that childhood trauma doesn't have a causal relationship to ADHD?
        1. Clent · · focus · HN ↗
          I would argue the relationship is in the other direction. People with ADHD often have childhood trauma caused by the way others treated their ADHD symptoms in childhood.
          1. kelseyfrog · · focus · HN ↗
            Why not bi-directional?
            1. luckydata · · focus · HN ↗
              because science says it's not how it works.
              1. kelseyfrog · · focus · HN ↗
                Huh, can you tell me the name of the rule?

                When I search for 'bidirectional causality' I get a lot of scientific results. Are those all wrong?

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