Neurodivergence and Trauma: Tips on Coping From a Trauma Therapist
Neurodivergent individuals, such as those with Autism or ADHD, often experience the world differently due to heightened sensory sensitivities and unique neurological responses. Unfortunately, these differences can make them more susceptible to trauma, as everyday events or interactions may overwhelm their nervous system. Trauma therapy can be incredibly beneficial in helping neurodivergent people process their experiences, heal from past wounds, and develop coping strategies tailored to their specific needs. In this blog, we’ll explore why neurodivergent individuals are more prone to trauma. As well as the challenges they face in recovery, and how trauma therapy can provide the support they need to heal.
Why Are Neurodivergent People More Prone to Trauma?
Why do people who are neurodivergent have a higher rate of traumatic experiences than neurotypical people? The sure answer is that sensory input is felt at a much higher intensity level than a neurotypical person. (The exception to this would be neurodivergent people who have hyposensitivity or low to little sensory experiences)
How Trauma Affects the Nervous System
Trauma is due to an event that puts a person’s nervous system into a fight, flight, or freeze response. This could be a fight where yelling or physical assault, occurs, or a car accident. The nervous system gets its information about safety in the world around it through the sensory input of the body. When the sensory input is so intense that the nervous system gets overloaded the body goes into a shut-down mode and the ability to process the complexity of the events is stalled or stopped altogether.
If the nervous system can not return to a relaxed state a trauma response is formed. In order for humans to heal from trauma the event must of processed in a relaxed state without the brain shutting down. If the brain continues to go into a fight-flight or freeze response with even the mention of a word, place, or sound that brings back the memory it can be very difficult to heal.
Heightened Sensory Experiences in Neurodivergent Individuals
It is a hallmark of people who are Autistic or ADHD to report hyper-sensory experiences. This could be a strong sense of smell, sounds, light, or even taste that makes them intolerant of everyday experiences. This indicates that their nervous systems are feeling events at a higher intensity level than a neurotypical person. Because of this Neurodivergent people are more prone to getting triggered into a fight, flight, or freeze response with events that neurotypical people would experience only a stress.
The Higher Risk of Trauma for Neurodivergent People
Sadly because life can be filled with intense events or relationships that are harmful neurodivergent people are at higher risk for trauma. Trauma can occur in the home with frustrated parents or siblings, at school with teachers who are frustrated or confused about their behavior, peers bullying, or adult relationships that escalate into conflict.
The Impact of Unawareness in Parenting Neurodivergent Children
Neurodivergent children growing up with adults who are not aware of these sensitivities are vulnerable to interactions with parenting that escalate to an intensity level that inadvertently hurts the child at a deeper level than was intended or parents are aware of. Neurodivergent children commonly struggle with daily transitions, clothing, food, relationships and flexibility at a day-to-day level that is at best confusing to parents and at worst makes parents highly agitated and angry. This experience as a parent results in impatient, shamming and unfortunately yelling, and maybe even physical reprimands that can overwhelm a neurodivergent child and sadly can lead to a trauma response.
The Long-Term Effects of Trauma on Neurodivergent Individuals
Neurodivergent people have experiences that are so painful that stay with them and set them up to be more vigilant to painful intense experiences. This vigilance leads to patterns of avoidance and or behaviors that escalate quickly and lead to more traumatic responses by people around them.
Supporting Neurodivergent Individuals in Healing Trauma
Understanding this dynamic is crucial to healing and avoiding further harm. At Shade Tree Family Counseling, our skilled trauma therapists are committed to supporting the neurodivergent person’s experience and healing. If you would like to learn more about how to heal trauma as a neurodivergent person, feel free to reach out to us for more information.
Heal Your Trauma as a Neurodivergent Individual With Trauma Therapy in Salt Lake City, UT
If you’re a neurodivergent individual struggling with the effects of trauma, you don’t have to navigate the healing process alone. At Shade Tree Family Counseling, we understand the unique challenges neurodivergent people face and are here to provide compassionate, tailored support with trauma therapy. To begin your journey toward healing, follow these three simple steps to discover how trauma therapy can help you regain control and thrive:
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if Trauma Therapy is right for you.
Begin meeting with a compassionate trauma therapist
Start healing from your trauma as a neurodivergent individual.
Other Services Offered at Shade Tree Family Counseling
At Shade Tree Family Counseling, we are here to help you and your family navigate the challenges you face together. So in addition to helping you work on healing from trauma in Trauma Therapy, our team offers teen counseling for teens struggling to overcome depression, anxiety, family conflict, and more. We also provide Teen Group Therapy for teens looking for extra support from those their own age. For more about trauma therapy check out our blog!