Your Brain Isn't Broken: Understanding Neurodivergence + Trauma

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)

If your brain works differently (ADHD, autism, high sensitivity) + you've been through hard times, you're not broken. Your nervous system adapted to survive. This guide explains:

• Why neurodivergence and trauma get confused

• How your body's survival mode shows up daily

• 5 actionable tools to regulate your nervous system

• Why "just be more productive" is BS

Read time: 8 minutes

What Even Is Neurodivergence?

Neurodivergent = your brain is wired differently. Not worse. Just different.

Think: ADHD, autism, high sensitivity, dyslexia. Your nervous system processes the world in its own way.

Common neurodivergent experiences:

• Sensory overload: Lights too bright, sounds too loud, textures feel wrong

• Time blindness: Always running late (not on purpose)

• Hyperfocus chaos: 6 hours on one task, then can't start laundry

• Big feelings, fast: Emotions hit like a truck, shift quickly

• Executive dysfunction: "I know what to do, but I physically cannot start."

  
  

Hot take from Mari De Luna: ADHD isn't an attention problem; it's a regulation disorder. Your brain adapted to an overstimulating world.

Trauma 101: It's Not Just "Bad Things Happened"

Trauma = your nervous system got stuck in survival mode.

Your brain/body learned that the world is unsafe, so now fight/flight/freeze/fawn is your default setting. As the Trauma Rewired podcast says: "Trauma isn't just in your head, it's in your cells."

Trauma shows up as:

• Constant vigilance: Always waiting for something bad to happen

• Dissociation: Feeling disconnected from your body, like you're watching your life on mute

• Disproportionate triggers: Small things = massive reactions

• Can't calm down: Getting back to baseline feels impossible

  
  

The Plot Twist: When Neurodivergence Meets Trauma

Here's where it gets messy (and why understanding this matters):

1. Your nervous system adapted, and it looks like ADHD

Mari De Luna explains: What if ADHD symptoms aren't a "disorder" but your body's intelligent response to chaos, overstimulation, or feeling unsafe?

Translation: Your brain learned survival strategies that look like neurodivergent traits:

• Time blindness? Maybe you dissociate when stressed

• Sensory overload? Your threat detection is on high alert

• Emotional dysregulation? Survival mode doesn't do "chill"

2. Trauma can mask as neurodivergence (and vice versa)

Both affect regulation, sensory processing, emotions, and executive function. So:

Experience	Could be ADHD	Could be trauma	Could be both
Overstimulated constantly	Sensory sensitivity	Nervous system in high alert	✓
Emotional rollercoaster	Brain wiring	Dysregulated survival mode	✓
Shutdown/numbness	Neurodivergent pattern	Freeze response	✓

The point: You don't need perfect clarity on "which one." You need tools that work for both.

3. Your body is smart AF

Your brain/body adapted to survive. That's not failure, that's intelligence.

Shift the question:

• "What's wrong with me?"

• ✓ "What is my system trying to do?"

This unlocks self-compassion instead of shame.

Why You Need This Info

You grew up with:

• Constant screen time (sensory bombardment 24/7)

• Climate anxiety + economic stress (chronic background threat)

• Hyper-connectivity (no real downtime for your nervous system)

• Rapidly shifting norms (identity, work, relationships, everything's in flux)

  
  

Result: The world is literally designed for overwhelm.

If you're neurodivergent or have trauma, you're playing on hard mode:

• You burn out faster

• You mask more (people-pleasing, overworking while your insides scream)

• You think "just grind harder" when you actually need to regulate harder

• You feel like you "should" keep up when your body's begging you to stop

  
  

Permission slip: Recognizing this means you can stop forcing yourself to be "normal" and start healing the way your brain/body needs.

5 Tools to Start Right Now (No Therapy Degree Required)

1. Check your nervous system baseline

Ask yourself: "Am I regulated or in survival mode?"

Signs of survival mode:

• Racing heart

• Jaw/shoulder tension

• Brain fog

• Overwhelm that won't quit

Why it matters: If you're in fight/flight/freeze, logic and willpower won't work. You need regulation tools first.

2. Proprioceptive + interoceptive training (fancy words, simple practice)

Proprioception = sensing your body in space

Interoception = sensing what's happening inside your body

Mari De Luna calls these game-changers for ADHD/neurodivergent regulation.

Try this (30 seconds):

• Stand up, feel your feet on the ground

• Wiggle your fingers, press palms together

• Notice: Am I hungry? Thirsty? Tense?

Why it works: Trauma + neurodivergence disconnect you from your body. This reconnects you.

3. Honor your sensory limits (they're not "being difficult")

If you're neurodivergent, overstimulation is real, not dramatic, not lazy.

Build in "off-switch" moments:

• Quiet space (even 10 min)

• Reduced screen time before bed

• Nature walks (no phone)

• Weighted blanket or compression clothing

The rule: If your body says "too much," believe it.

4. Reframe your story

Old story: "I'm broken. I have a disorder. Why can't I just be normal?"

New story: "My nervous system adapted. It did its job. Now I'm teaching it new options."

Why this matters: Deficit language = shame spiral. Adaptation language = growth mindset.

5. Practice micro-boundaries

Trauma + neurodivergence = you're used to saying yes (because survival).

Start tiny:

• Say no to one social plan when you're drained

• Leave a loud space 5 minutes early

• Turn off notifications for an hour

Notice your body's reaction. Building "safety to say no" is nervous system work.

Real Talk: Healing Isn't Linear

Some days you'll crush it. Some days sensory overload wins. Some days you'll dissociate through a whole meeting.

That's not failure. That's your nervous system recalibrating.

As Trauma Rewired says: "Ambivalence is not confusion, it's survival wisdom." You can feel joy and grief simultaneously. Excitement and fear. That's okay.

What actually works: Gentle consistency > perfection.

• 5-minute body check-in

• One boundary

• Noticing a feeling without immediately reacting

Over time, your nervous system learns: "Oh. We can be safe again."

Your Next Steps

If you take nothing else from this:

1. Recognize: Your nervous system adapted. It's not broken.

2. Regulate: Use body-based tools (not just "think positive")

3. Reframe: From survival → thriving

4. Honor: Your sensory limits, boundaries, pace

5. Connect: Find others who get this intersection

   
   

Want to go deeper?

• Listen: "Overstimulated, Overwhelmed, Misunderstood: ADHD through the Neurosomatic Lens" on Trauma Rewired podcast with Mari De Luna

• Explore: Mari De Luna's work on somatic trauma resolution for neurodivergent folks

• Practice: Daily regulation routine (1 min grounding + 1 min body scan + 1 boundary)

You're Not Alone in This

Thousands of neurodivergent people with trauma histories are rewriting their stories. You don't have to force yourself into a "typical" mold.

Your brain is different. Your healing path will be too. And that's exactly how it should be.