Is it ADHD or trauma?
As a licensed counselor, I often see people struggling to understand why they can't focus.
The truth is, attention issues can come from different places, and figuring out whether it's ADHD or trauma-related is like solving a personal mystery.
ADHD is like having a brain that's wired differently from childhood. It's not something that happens to you, it's how you're built. Think of it as a neurodevelopmental condition that's been there all along, even if no one noticed until later.
Trauma-related inattention (from PTSD or complex trauma) is your brain's response to overwhelming experiences. It's like your attention system got rewired after something really difficult happened.
The day to day difference
ADHD:
Your mind feels like a busy internet browser with 20 tabs open at once
Boredom hits hard—even when nothing scary is happening
You might hyperfocus on things you love but struggle with boring tasks
Losing track of time and misplacing things happens across all situations
Trauma:
Your mind goes blank or "checks out" when something reminds you of past stress
You're constantly scanning for danger (that's hypervigilance)
Memory gaps specifically around stressful topics
Your focus might be fine when you feel safe, then suddenly disappear in certain situations
The patterns
ADHD symptoms usually show up before age 12 and stick around through different life stages. Teachers might have mentioned you were distractible, day dreaming or fidgety in elementary school. Today, the struggle is everywhere—home, work, school, social situations. It doesn't matter if you're having a good day or bad day—the attention challenges are pretty consistent.
Trauma-related attention problems clearly start or get much worse after difficult experiences. Problems happen around specific triggers— certain places, people, or topics that remind you of past stress. On safe days in comfortable environments, your focus might actually be pretty good.
It’s complicated because you could have both
Research shows that ADHD and trauma often occur together. Having ADHD might actually make someone more vulnerable to developing PTSD after difficult experiences, and trauma can make ADHD symptoms worse.
When both are present, we treat each condition separately but work on them together. It's not about choosing one label, it's about understanding the whole person.
Good tips that help either way
Regardless of the cause, these strategies can make a real difference:
Write it down: Reduce the mental load with lists and reminders
Use timers: The Pomodoro technique (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off) works wonders
Create a calm workspace: Control notifications and distractions
Body awareness: Practice slow breathing and take sensory breaks
Consistent sleep: Regular sleep-wake times help regulate attention
When to get professional help
If you're noticing that attention issues are significantly impacting your work, relationships, or daily functioning, it might be time to talk to a professional. And if you're having thoughts of harming yourself or others, please reach out immediately—call or text 988 in the U.S. for crisis support.
Understanding whether attention struggles come from ADHD, trauma, or both isn't about finding the "right" label, it's about understanding your unique brain and experiences. The better we understand what's happening, the more effectively we can find strategies that actually work for you.
Remember: You're not broken, you're navigating a complex system that's doing its best to protect you. With the right understanding and support, you can learn to work with your brain rather than against it.
References:
CDC. (2024). ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines
JAMA Psychiatry. (2024). Adult ADHD Screening and Assessment
NICE Guidelines. (2025). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
PubMed. (2024). ADHD and Trauma Comorbidity Research
VA National Center for PTSD. (2024). PTSD Diagnosis Criteria
VA PTSD. (2024). Trauma Screening Tools
