[Trace14]

Dissociation vs. ADHD? Has anyone ever been told they dissociate? Have you ever wondered if maybe it was ADHD instead?
Or............do you think someone who has ADD or ADHD is more likely to dissociate? Can a person have both diagnosis? Where's Doc John when we need an answer like this ?

[Open Eyes]

Trace, everyone dissociates to a certain extent. It's the brain's way of resting. So, it doesn't "IMO" necessarily mean a person has ADHD in that everyone does it to a certain extent including those with ADHD.

[Trace14]

Originally Posted by Open Eyes

Trace, everyone dissociates to a certain extent. It's the brain's way of resting. So, it doesn't "IMO" necessarily mean a person has ADHD in that everyone does it to a certain extent including those with ADHD.

I'm talking about an actual diagnosis of dissociation, and how you differentiate the difference in the two, or is one part of the other . Or a person diagnosed with ADHD would be more prone to dissociate , or it they would be two stand alone issues.

[Hedocakes]

I have ADHD, but PTSD makes me very prone to dissociation.

ADHD is me being fully grounded but missing something I was supposed to notice, OR being fully grounded but so absorbed in something because of hyperfocus that legitimately important things get ignored because they aren't as exciting. I am present, but not functional.

Dissociation is different for me. I can physically feel tension from the stress that caused me to dissociate loosening up and disappearing. My head feels heavy. My body runs on autopilot and I can express thoughts just fine, but I am uninvolved and simply watch it happen. I am outwardly functional, but I don't feel present.

[Trace14]

Originally Posted by Hedocakes

I have ADHD, but PTSD makes me very prone to dissociation.

ADHD is me being fully grounded but missing something I was supposed to notice, OR being fully grounded but so absorbed in something because of hyperfocus that legitimately important things get ignored because they aren't as exciting. I am present, but not functional.

Dissociation is different for me. I can physically feel tension from the stress that caused me to dissociate loosening up and disappearing. My head feels heavy. My body runs on autopilot and I can express thoughts just fine, but I am uninvolved and simply watch it happen. I am outwardly functional, but I don't feel present.

Good descriptions, thanks for posting.

[amandalouise]

Trace14.... the two problems are vastly different.... heres an example...

ADHD in one of my children....

during class he plays with his pencil rather than paying attention to the teacher
during class taps his feet on the floor
when asked to write a sentence he does not pay attention to the details like punctuation, spelling, reading a story in class the story may be Jack likes to ride his bike to the park to feed the birds. Question at the end of the story why did Jack ride his bike to the park? my childs answer because he likes to ride his bike. when the answer is to feed the birds.
does not follow directions... direction please take your dish out to the kitchen and put it in the dishwasher... my child picks up the plate and takes it to the kitchen and places it on the table where he sits during family meals. when I ask him why he says because you told me to take my plate to the kitchen. did not follow the direction of putting the plate in the dishwasher. direction please tie your shoe, my son instead picks up the book, and turns on the tv, question what did I ask you to do? tie my show, so why did you pick up the book and turn on the tv? answer because I want to watch tv, after you tie your shoe you can watch tv. my son instead of tying his shoe takes his shoe off.

dissociation is feeling numb, spaced out and disconnected due to a positive or negative trigger...

I see a flash of lightening and my reaction is to feel numb, spaced out and disconnected as if i can not feel my body parts. this is a normal reaction for normal dissociation here where I am. it becomes a dissociative disorder when it meets the diagnostic criteria in my links at the bottom of my post.

hope this has helped you to understand the differences. your own treatment provider can go more into detail explaining to you which of your problems fit with which of your mental disorders and why.

[Trace14]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

Trace14.... the two problems are vastly different.... heres an example...

ADHD in one of my children....

during class he plays with his pencil rather than paying attention to the teacher
during class taps his feet on the floor
when asked to write a sentence he does not pay attention to the details like punctuation, spelling, reading a story in class the story may be Jack likes to ride his bike to the park to feed the birds. Question at the end of the story why did Jack ride his bike to the park? my childs answer because he likes to ride his bike. when the answer is to feed the birds.
does not follow directions... direction please take your dish out to the kitchen and put it in the dishwasher... my child picks up the plate and takes it to the kitchen and places it on the table where he sits during family meals. when I ask him why he says because you told me to take my plate to the kitchen. did not follow the direction of putting the plate in the dishwasher. direction please tie your shoe, my son instead picks up the book, and turns on the tv, question what did I ask you to do? tie my show, so why did you pick up the book and turn on the tv? answer because I want to watch tv, after you tie your shoe you can watch tv. my son instead of tying his shoe takes his shoe off.

dissociation is feeling numb, spaced out and disconnected due to a positive or negative trigger...

I see a flash of lightening and my reaction is to feel numb, spaced out and disconnected as if i can not feel my body parts. this is a normal reaction for normal dissociation here where I am. it becomes a dissociative disorder when it meets the diagnostic criteria in my links at the bottom of my post.

hope this has helped you to understand the differences. your own treatment provider can go more into detail explaining to you which of your problems fit with which of your mental disorders and why.

That did help, thanks. Is it common for someone who dissociates to have physical symptoms with it muscle tightness, nausea and vomiting?

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Trace14

That did help, thanks. Is it common for someone who dissociates to have physical symptoms with it muscle tightness, nausea and vomiting?

my own treatment providers and those that I know, no its not common to have muscle tightening, nausea and vomiting as part of dissociation. those usually come with things like colds, flu's, over exercising, and other physical health problems...

that said there is a mental problem where a persons mental disorders do show their self in physical ways.... example people with depression sometimes will have the physical symptoms of fatigue, aches and pains... this is called many things depending upon ones location, here where I am its called somatic disorder when a persons mental problems shows itself in physical ways.

suggestion talk with your treatment provider, they will be able to diagnose whether your physical problems are related to any of your mental problems and what it is called where you are.

[Trace14]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

my own treatment providers and those that I know, no its not common to have muscle tightening, nausea and vomiting as part of dissociation. those usually come with things like colds, flu's, over exercising, and other physical health problems...

that said there is a mental problem where a persons mental disorders do show their self in physical ways.... example people with depression sometimes will have the physical symptoms of fatigue, aches and pains... this is called many things depending upon ones location, here where I am its called somatic disorder when a persons mental problems shows itself in physical ways.

suggestion talk with your treatment provider, they will be able to diagnose whether your physical problems are related to any of your mental problems and what it is called where you are.

Okay, thanks I will run it by them. It doesn't last long, just sometimes when I check out and go deep into the hole. BTW I'm in the USA, Eastern section. When your depression/anxiety is better will the dissociation pretty much stop. I know we all do it to some extent. But I'm hoping it will be less and less as healing happens.