Many people, both young and old, struggle with learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), challenges that not only affect one academically, but impacts a person’s family and social relationships along with self esteem. Many people fall outside the norm because they learn differently. Sadly these students too often get labeled stupid and bad, are given a diagnosis, and struggle to find their place in the world. The stresses of dealing with these learning differences can wreak havoc on one’s life mentally, emotionally and physically. As this continues the protective behaviors learned become a pattern that gets played out over and over again. Although adaptive, they are limiting and often defeating. This is the nature of trauma, a source of tremendous distress and dysfunction and a by-product of our natural response to extreme stress. The associated experiences of living with LD and ADHD can be traumatic, and addressing these stresses is a valuable, yet overlooked, area.
Trauma is experienced when one is exposed to uncontrollable life events in which the person perceives threat to his or her physical or psychological safety, overwhelming one’s capacity to cope. This sets off a bodily reaction brilliantly hard wired into our brains called the “fight or flight” response, an inborn and automatic response that prepares us for survival. When left unresolved we become identified with trauma where all life gets interpreted from that point of view and consumes our being. The consequences are often devastating and long lasting, however, because of breakthroughs in neuroscience and brain imaging techniques, information is available that contributes to our understanding of the biological nature of the effects of trauma. Because trauma is linked with the body a growing number of experts are embracing body-based healing techniques that combine contemporary western science along with ancient healing traditions.
Examples of trauma
What can be traumatic about LD and ADHD? The following highlights some of the experiences, often repeated on a daily basis, that are potentially traumatic for those suffering with LD and ADHD.
In School:
- Teachers who are shaming
- Peers who tease and bully
- Humiliation in the classroom, the bus and school yard
- Counselors who don’t understand, viewing the student as lazy or unmotivated or having behavioral problems
In the Family:
- Stress of having a child, sibling or family member with special needs is draining on all… mentally, physically and emotionally
- Emotionality when individuals feel that the sick person is receiving all of the attention
- Marital discord
- Domestic violence
Interpersonal Relationships:
- Isolation, being excluded or not feeling a sense of belonging
- Reduced interaction with peers
- Loss of friends
Personal Difficulties:
- Impulsivity
- Being overwhelmed with emotion
- Difficulties with concentration
- Aggression against others, particularly with the family
- Proneness to rage and tantrums
- Confusion
- Difficulty handling the demands of life
- Not fully understanding conversations or readings
- Negative self talk
The effects of trauma
The body’s response to trauma is complex and not everyone who experiences the traumatic effects of living with learning challenges will have the same mental and physical response to the events involved. In fact, no two people experience trauma in the same way. This is because it is not the event itself that is traumatizing, but rather, the perception of the individual and their capacity to respond. Trauma has the ability to alter our state of consciousness and puts us into a survival mode of responses that are basic and primitive, keeping our body and mind in a state of stress.
Over the past twenty years cutting edge brain scans have given neuroscientists the chance to more accurately understand the biological nature of trauma. According to Dr. Bessel A. Van der Kolk, a clinical psychiatrist and founder of The Trauma Center in Brookline, MA, “Trauma causes the body to be frozen in a state of fear, terror, and hyper vigilance.” A leader in the field of posttraumatic stress, Van der Kolk says “… fundamentally, the effect of trauma is in relationship to one’s body. One’s body gives the signal that it’s not safe, and your body keeps fighting an existing enemy.” This means that the memories of traumas are easily triggered and relived as if it just happened. As a result, stress hormones are released into the body, negatively affecting a person’s mental, emotional and physical well-being.
Traumatic stress can manifest itself as anxiety, depression, low self- esteem, aggression, an inability to regulate emotions, addictive and compulsive behavior, and psychosomatic illnesses along with difficulties in interpersonal relationships and feelings of guilt and shame. In addition, a most destructive consequence of the events causing trauma are the limiting thought process, the negative beliefs, the individual forms about themselves, others and life. Statements such as,” I am damaged,” “I’m just stupid,” or “I am nothing but trouble” coupled with “Nobody cares”, “I don’t matter” are beliefs that impact not only your mind and behavior but biology too. It is not the environment or the situation itself that causes people to feel as they do. Instead, it is the way we see or think about the situation that leads to particular emotions and behavior. Therefore, dealing with the traumatic aspects of LD and ADHD to address the underlying beliefs, the foundation of the related problems, is an important factor in overall health and healing.
How body-mind therapies can help
In the past people would seek out traditional talk therapy to treat the effects of traumatic stress. However, because trauma is a psychophysical experience, i.e., the traumatic event takes a toll not only in the mind but the body as well, the use of mind- body therapies have proven more effective. It’s clear to van der Kolk why it’s important to move beyond talking: “It’s great to be able to put your feelings into words,” says van der Kolk, “and feeling that somebody understands your suffering is enormously comforting. But it doesn’t make your bodyknow that you are safe; resetting your physiology is the key. Body-mind therapies are interventions that not only treat the psychological aspects but also the physiological effects and cognitive distortions caused by traumatic stress. Practices like Body-oriented Psychotherapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Energy Psychology and Meridian Therapies and Mindfulness can help unlock the body’s pattern of fear by allowing trauma survivors to become masters—rather than victims—of their own physiology.
The role of the body-mind therapies is to get the body functioning more normally and to reestablish one’s lost power. Based on extensive research, van der Kolk believes that somatic approaches can radically alter the body’s physiology: “It can rewire your brain stem, and change the fear system in your brain. It can regulate the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and activate the cranial nerves so that your body doesn’t respond to everything as if it’s getting hurt”.
Within a safe and supportive therapeutic relationship, held emotions and body sensations can be gently explored and released and unhelpful beliefs can be identified and replaced with life affirming thoughts. A practice of mindfulness can be incorporated bringing the person into the present moment. In addition, learning simple and natural de-stressing methods will empower the individual to resolve issues as they tap into their resilience, clarity and inner strength. With this gained awareness and freeing of energy one can choose to respond effectively to whatever life sends your way.
Submitted by Denise Weber, MA, LPC, DCEP of Inner Change Holistic Counseling. For more information, call 203-544-6094.