 Impulsive, hyperactive, inattentive, distractible, these are all labels associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a neurodevelopmental disorder usually diagnosed in childhood that often persists into adulthood. People with ADHD have a high chance of facing issues concerning family, relationships, education, employment, and more. In this video, we'll explore how undiagnosed ADHD leads to trauma prone to accidents. Many people with ADHD are disaster prone. Bumping into things, dropping items, and overall clumsiness can be the norm if you have this condition. It's common with ADHD to struggle with concentration. It's common to have trouble sticking to one task and being easily distracted, which can lead to unfortunate results. In fact, people with ADHD report more accidents and injuries according to a study by Abel, Johnson, Adler, and Swindle. This is even higher when looking at patient records when they were undiagnosed and untreated. This same study has shown an increase in psychological trauma in those with ADHD as a result of these accidents higher than the general public, while some accidents can be harmless and funny in retrospect. In other cases, these are huge and sometimes life-altering events. Inclination to substance abuse. Did you know that up to 30% of children who have ADHD also have a serious mood disorder like depression? In many cases, especially if untreated, people with undiagnosed ADHD turn towards substances as coping mechanisms, which is highly associated with alcohol use and binge drinking. According to the study conducted by Abel, Johnson, Adler, and Swindle, undiagnosed ADHD patients were more likely to screen positive for problem drinking. Children who grew up with ADHD often have educational challenges because of their distractibility, forgetfulness, and impulsiveness. They may also face rejection, bullying, and loneliness. This can, in turn, develop into depression and anxiety as they grow older. While addiction itself can be traumatic, the results of the addiction are as well. The reckless, impulsive behavior that comes with addiction can lead to further traumatic incidents, likely to have lower quality of life. With ADHD, you may struggle with your relationships. Perhaps some people think you're toxic because you have a hard time responding back to them, or maybe your emotions can get the best of you. Creating problems with those closest to you. The same researchers documented that people with undiagnosed ADHD reported having lower quality of life as a result of this, and other factors. This includes everything from their outlook on life to their health to their ability to function. Young people with ADHD often have problems not only at school but also at home. When undiagnosed, their parents or caretakers may feel hopeless and frustrated about the child's atypical behavior. When they grow up as teens, they may experience a distorted sense of self and develop reckless behavior. Adults with undiagnosed ADHD have a higher likelihood of being separated to forced or remarried than people without the disorder. This prolonged experience with rejection, neglect, and separation can lead to psychological and relationship trauma. High chance of unemployment and lower wage. Working with ADHD can be difficult. Impulsivity inattentiveness and distractibility can make it hard for you to get and maintain a job. This is the case for plenty of people with undiagnosed ADHD. Their innate distractibility, forgetfulness, and poor organization skills can lead to low job performance, according to children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, otherwise known as CHAD. High school graduates with ADHD earn about 17% less than their peers. Because of this, they're likely to experience negative long-term mental health impacts, such as anxiety, depression, lower life satisfaction, and financial trauma. Trauma following an intense experience where you cannot support yourself financially. In a society built around working in finance, this adds an extreme amount of stress to someone that differs. Low self-esteem. Having ADHD can feel like no one understands you. It can be easy for people with the condition to feel jealous over others because they seem like they have something that you don't. A person with ADHD tends to have self-esteem that diminishes over time. In the beginning, you may have just wanted a normal life, soon realizing that your involuntary actions are the ones creating complications in your relationships and goals. You may feel continuously upset, claiming everything is your fault. You may consider yourself a hopeless person, resorting to reckless and harmful acts to cope, fighting trauma with more possible causes of trauma. ADHD can make functioning extremely difficult, and increase your likelihood of experiencing some type of trauma, even more so when it goes unnoticed. Fortunately, it is possible to receive treatment for it and find strategies to adapt to it. There are many people with ADHD that are incredibly successful and have learned to utilize their uniqueness to their advantage, with some claiming that ADHD is their superpower. Seeking out resources and strategies can help reduce the negative features of this condition and instead let you focus on the positive aspects so that you can grow better than ever. Let us know if you found the video informative and feel free to share it to anyone you think would benefit from it. Give it a like if you enjoyed it, and remember to subscribe to Psych2Go to keep up with our uploads. Take care!