Is PTSD Neurodivergent?

Guidance on CPTSD and PTSD on the Neurodivergence Spectrum

Did you know that the United States government estimates that about 12 million American adults, or about 6% of the population, will experience PTSD symptoms within their lifetime?

If you or a loved one struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), you might also wonder: Is PTSD neurodivergent?

Icarus New Mexico, an Albuquerque-based treatment center, has helped numerous people cope with the impact of adult childhood trauma and co-occurring mental health conditions. We follow evidence-based practices and a holistic healing approach to helping people with their psychological trauma.

Keep reading to answer the key question: IS PTSD considered neurodivergent? You’ll also read more about several of the most common neurodivergent conditions.

Are Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Considered Neurological Differences?

Neurodivergence refers to distinct neurological conditions that impact the brain’s functioning in ways that lead to atypical emotional regulation, behaviors, and perception of the world. Some experts consider these differences to be a spectrum, but it is the topic of continued research.

Others in the mental health field, as explained by a Cleveland Clinic article, call neurodivergent a non-medical term. They use the term as a polite way to describe people instead of using judgment or stigmatized language like “abnormal.” Conversely, they use “neurotypical” to replace “normal” as a descriptor of how someone’s brain works.

Complex PTSD (C PTSD) and PTSD symptoms are not classified as neurodivergent conditions in the same way as other conditions. However, going through a traumatic event does reshape how the brain functions for some people. Trauma is better described as acquired neurodivergence.

PTSD symptoms do share some overlap with some symptoms of neurodivergent conditions. These overlapping symptoms can include trauma responses such as hypervigilance, challenging social interactions, and being easily overstimulated by lights, sounds, or smells.

So what, then, are the disorders that define neurodivergent people? Let’s explore a few:

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autistic spectrum disorder is perhaps the best-known of the neurodivergent conditions. Like most developmental disorders, autism spectrum disorder impacts the communication methods, social skills, and behaviors of autistic people. Autistic adults and children alike process information differently than most others and have sensory sensitivities as a result.

The primary symptoms of autism are:

• Difficulty interacting with others
• Meltdowns or mood swings without warning
• Repetitive behaviors
• Intense sensory experiences make autistic individuals easily overwhelmed by bright lights, loud noises, or strong aromas.

Autism falls into a spectrum, with diverse experiences ranging from mild to severe. While autistic people may have developmental delays, autism does not directly affect a person’s intellect.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Most people know attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, usually shortened to ADHD, as when a person experiences inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity. This neurodivergent condition impacts childhood in particularly acute ways. It makes daily functioning challenging, as intrusive thoughts stampede through the brain.

Some of the main symptoms of ADHD are:

• Heightened sensitivity to environmental distractions
• Impulsive or risky behaviors without considering the consequences
• Disorganization
• Forgetfulness

People with ADHD often need to seek appropriate support for maintaining self-regulation.

Dyslexia and Dyscalculia

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects language and reading; dyscalculia is similar but impacts numbers and mathematical concepts. While neither impairment stems from a lack of intelligence, both conditions make daily life challenging.

The symptoms of dyslexia are:

• Reading difficulties
• Scrambled spelling
• Limited reading comprehension

Symptoms of dyscalculia include these:

• Limited math comprehension
• Unable to complete math problems
• Trouble telling time or following sequences

There’s a third similar neurodivergent condition, dysgraphia. It impairs a person’s ability to write, keyboard, or organize thoughts on paper.

Brain Differences in Neurodivergent Individuals

• Earlier, we mentioned that neurodivergent conditions usually mean differences in the brain regions. Here are some typical ways they differ:

Prefrontal cortex: This region is responsible for decision-making and impulse control. Differences in neurodivergent individuals become apparent in early brain development.

• Amygdala: The amygdala processes emotions and responses to fear. Neurodiversity influences how people respond to social cues and affect sensory processes.
• Hippocampus: This region helps form memories. In neurodiversity or conditions like PTSD, it can shrink due to constant stress.

These brain differences are negative alterations that explain the diverse origin of some conditions on the neurodiversity spectrum.

Do Brain or Head Injuries Cause Neurodiversity?

Head injuries or traumatic brain injuries can lead to some similar symptoms. But, like, PTSD symptoms, they are not classic neurodiversity.

Neurodiversity Is Not a Mental Health Condition

Unlike PTSD and trauma symptoms, neurodivergent conditions do not meet the diagnostic criteria of a mental health condition. However, mental illnesses are a common co-occurrence for some mental health disorders.

Depending on symptom severity, some neurodivergents are at a higher risk for developing some mental health concerns that may require effective treatment.

Substance Use Disorders

Some neurodivergent conditions cause overactive sensory processing. To quiet the “noise” of their brains, some neurodivergent people use drugs or alcohol. It’s a common dual diagnosis for people who live with ADHD.

Anxiety or Panic Disorders and Neurodiversity

Anxiety and panic frequently co-occur with any of the common neurodivergent conditions. Neurodivergents often have uncomfortable social interactions that lead to anxiety or fear-driven behaviors.

Depression or Bipolar Disorder

Depression and bipolar can co-occur with ADHD or autism, where mood fluctuations, high sensitivities, or social isolation are common. The two conditions combined can worsen stressful events and impair the person’s quality of life.

Neurodivergent People Can Develop PTSD

A PTSD diagnosis is also possible for those with neurodivergent conditions. Neurodivert people often face challenges with bullying from early childhood on, social isolation, or sensory overload. Both PTSD symptoms and some neurodivergent conditions closely overlap, although they stem from different origins.

Experiencing a Traumatic Event Leads to PTSD Symptoms

Posttraumatic stress disorder is a form of acquired neurodivergence. Diagnosing PTSD is distinct from neurodiversity because it comes from one or more specific traumatic experiences. A mental health professional making this diagnosis will learn details about the person’s trauma history.

Common Signs of PTSD

No two clients experience symptoms exactly alike, but here are some of the most frequent indicators:

• Hypervigilance
• Mood swings and lack of emotional regulation
• Nightmares
• Feeling emotionally numb or distance
• Avoiding reminders of traumatic experiences or triggers
• Flashbacks
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Exaggerated startle response
• Severe emotions distress

Combining the symptoms with the presence of traumatic events (childhood abuse, sexual assault trauma, vehicle accidents, etc.) makes it easy to diagnose PTSD in adults versus neurodivergence, which usually appears in childhood, often noticed when a parent or educator questions behaviors that deviate from current benchmarks.

Can Trauma or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Be Treated?

Treatment implications for post-traumatic stress disorder differ greatly from those of treating neurodivergent conditions.

Neurodiversity is usually a lifelong struggle. Clients with these conditions can find improvement with appropriate prescription medications, behavioral therapies, and a structured, supportive environment. They were born with differences in their brains that they must manage for the rest of their lives. Most live fulfilling lives with the proper treatment.

On the other hand, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) benefits from proper forms of PTSD treatment, either significantly improving or reversing the impact of trauma.

Therapies to Improve PTSD or the Fallout of a Traumatic Event

What treatments can help improve post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD?

• Exposure therapy
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing
• Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)
• Traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Mindfulness and relaxation technique training
• Prescription medications to ease the worst symptoms of PTSD
• Journal writing and other somatic therapies

If you ask: Can trauma be healed? The answer is yes, it often can. Identifying the traumatic events and working to shift how the client views them is the key to reducing the impact of trauma.

Contact Icarus for Help Healing Trauma or PTSD

Neurodivergence refers to a lifetime condition; people can usually manage it and lead productive lives, although sometimes it can be a struggle. However, PTSD or trauma is treatable with the appropriate therapies, including counseling, medication management, and a willingness to open up to treatment.

Unresolved trauma can lead to additional negative outcomes, from drug or alcohol addiction to worsening symptoms. Seeking help is an act of self-love that can help you release the trauma and help you reclaim your life.

Icarus Behavioral Health’s New Mexico treatment center provides PTSD clients with the support needed to make a recovery. We’ve helped many find new hope and come to a peaceful place in life despite the trauma.

Call us today for help – it’s time to work on reducing the trauma.