Anyone with both ADD and CSA?
Anyone with both ADD and CSA?
- Thread starteronlyakid
- Start date
Jason
I have never been officially diagnosed with ADD but I have a friend who works with adults with learning difficulties ( and is qualified to diagnose ) and she's pretty confident that I have 'some' ADD problems.
I certainly have concentration problems, and as far as I can remember they became a problem to me about the time the abuse was happeneing.
I have seen some research that backs up the theory that ADD can be made worse, possibly even caused, by childhood traumas such as CSA.
If I can find it I'll post it.
( If I don't, please remind me )
Dave
I have never been officially diagnosed with ADD but I have a friend who works with adults with learning difficulties ( and is qualified to diagnose ) and she's pretty confident that I have 'some' ADD problems.
I certainly have concentration problems, and as far as I can remember they became a problem to me about the time the abuse was happeneing.
I have seen some research that backs up the theory that ADD can be made worse, possibly even caused, by childhood traumas such as CSA.
If I can find it I'll post it.
( If I don't, please remind me )
Dave
Hey Jason --
I was diagnosed with add about six months ago and put on a slow release ritalin called concerta. Weird for this to happen in my thirties. Anyhow, it really has made a major difference in that I don't forget appointments and more so than anything I don't get as overwhelmed by tasks such as organizing and (shudder) cleaning. It also really helped me at work as I also used to get lost in tasks there. My shrink hasn't suggested that this was caused by my childhood trauma but the years I spent in a sort of fugue state were I'm sure caused by this, or perhaps exacerbated. It is weird to be on pills, but I deal.
As to the csa stuff, that has completely lessened with my recovery to the point now where it isn't a problem. My insight on this is that I was trying to negotiate/work through my abuse in this way. It was also a soothing mechanism for me. Before my memories came up about five years ago I would act on this unconciously.
I really treated myself gently through all of this, not beating msyelf up when I slipped etc.
Anyway, sounds like you are taking good care of yourself today. Good luck with all of this. J
I was diagnosed with add about six months ago and put on a slow release ritalin called concerta. Weird for this to happen in my thirties. Anyhow, it really has made a major difference in that I don't forget appointments and more so than anything I don't get as overwhelmed by tasks such as organizing and (shudder) cleaning. It also really helped me at work as I also used to get lost in tasks there. My shrink hasn't suggested that this was caused by my childhood trauma but the years I spent in a sort of fugue state were I'm sure caused by this, or perhaps exacerbated. It is weird to be on pills, but I deal.
As to the csa stuff, that has completely lessened with my recovery to the point now where it isn't a problem. My insight on this is that I was trying to negotiate/work through my abuse in this way. It was also a soothing mechanism for me. Before my memories came up about five years ago I would act on this unconciously.
I really treated myself gently through all of this, not beating msyelf up when I slipped etc.
Anyway, sounds like you are taking good care of yourself today. Good luck with all of this. J
Here's one, long and scientific I know, but I picked up some interesting stuff here.
https://jad.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/9/4/631
( PDF copy of report. If your browser shows the Adobe PDF with another 'window' on the right hand side, scroll to the bottom of the right widow and you'll find a link "View article in full window" - click on that and you get normal sized PDF )
https://jad.sagepub.com/cgi/content/refs/9/4/631 ( Sage publication home page )
Journal of Attention Disorders, Vol. 9, No. 4, 631-641 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1087054705283892
2006 SAGE Publications
.
Retrospective Reports of Childhood Trauma in Adults With ADHD
Julia J. Rucklidge
University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand,
Deborah L. Brown
University of Calgary and Alberta Childrens Hospital
Susan Crawford
University of Calgary and Alberta Childrens Hospital
Bonnie J. Kaplan
University of Calgary and Alberta Childrens Hospital
Objective: Although studies have documented higher prevalence of abuse in children with ADHD, no studies have investigated childhood reports of abuse in individuals identified with ADHD in adulthood. Method: Forty ADHD women, 17 ADHD males, 17 female controls, and 40 male controls complete the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and other measures of psychosocial functioning. Results: Emotional abuse and neglect are more common among men and women with ADHD as compared to controls. Sexual abuse and physical neglect are more commonly reported by females with ADHD. Although childhood abuse is significantly correlated with depression and anxiety in adulthood, having ADHD is a better predictor of poorer psychosocial functioning in adulthood. Conclusion: Clinicians are alerted that patients with ADHD symptoms have a high probability of childhood abuse.
https://jad.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/9/4/631
( PDF copy of report. If your browser shows the Adobe PDF with another 'window' on the right hand side, scroll to the bottom of the right widow and you'll find a link "View article in full window" - click on that and you get normal sized PDF )
https://jad.sagepub.com/cgi/content/refs/9/4/631 ( Sage publication home page )
Journal of Attention Disorders, Vol. 9, No. 4, 631-641 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1087054705283892
2006 SAGE Publications
.
Retrospective Reports of Childhood Trauma in Adults With ADHD
Julia J. Rucklidge
University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand,
Deborah L. Brown
University of Calgary and Alberta Childrens Hospital
Susan Crawford
University of Calgary and Alberta Childrens Hospital
Bonnie J. Kaplan
University of Calgary and Alberta Childrens Hospital
Objective: Although studies have documented higher prevalence of abuse in children with ADHD, no studies have investigated childhood reports of abuse in individuals identified with ADHD in adulthood. Method: Forty ADHD women, 17 ADHD males, 17 female controls, and 40 male controls complete the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and other measures of psychosocial functioning. Results: Emotional abuse and neglect are more common among men and women with ADHD as compared to controls. Sexual abuse and physical neglect are more commonly reported by females with ADHD. Although childhood abuse is significantly correlated with depression and anxiety in adulthood, having ADHD is a better predictor of poorer psychosocial functioning in adulthood. Conclusion: Clinicians are alerted that patients with ADHD symptoms have a high probability of childhood abuse.
Andrei
If you know that you had ADD / ADHD before your abuse started, do you think it made you in some way more vulnerable ?
My recollection of early childhood is that I seemed pretty normal in my education, not the sharpest tool in the box but not the bluntest either. But by the time I left school at 16yo I was way behind.
I think the abuse 'caused' my learning difficulties, or maybe made something latent come to the surface?
Dave
If you know that you had ADD / ADHD before your abuse started, do you think it made you in some way more vulnerable ?
My recollection of early childhood is that I seemed pretty normal in my education, not the sharpest tool in the box but not the bluntest either. But by the time I left school at 16yo I was way behind.
I think the abuse 'caused' my learning difficulties, or maybe made something latent come to the surface?
Dave
roadrunner
Registrant
Dave,
You may remember me talking about that history professor who noticed me when I came back from SF and told me I had to "live my life or lose it". He made me his teaching assistant that day and told me get clean off hard drugs.
That was easier said than done, of course, but beginning that semester and every semester thereafter I was on the Dean's List for honors for high grades. I just needed someone to believe in me and not "want" anything from me in return.
As a teacher myself I see similar things all the time. A kid's performance in school or college often has nothing to do with innate ability. He can rise above that when he has people around him to make him feel special and appreciated, and if he feels alone and worthless he will struggle and do poorly no matter what smarts he has.
Much love,
Larry
By the time I was a sophomore in college I was totally out of control and barely maintaining a passing grade point average. One term my average was 0.7 out of 4.0; I think I passed flycasting in Phys. Ed. and failed everything else. I didn't care either.
You may remember me talking about that history professor who noticed me when I came back from SF and told me I had to "live my life or lose it". He made me his teaching assistant that day and told me get clean off hard drugs.
That was easier said than done, of course, but beginning that semester and every semester thereafter I was on the Dean's List for honors for high grades. I just needed someone to believe in me and not "want" anything from me in return.
As a teacher myself I see similar things all the time. A kid's performance in school or college often has nothing to do with innate ability. He can rise above that when he has people around him to make him feel special and appreciated, and if he feels alone and worthless he will struggle and do poorly no matter what smarts he has.
Much love,
Larry