An inaccurate mental health diagnosis can significantly affect your well-being, delay appropriate treatment, and lower your overall quality of life. Misdiagnosis can also be emotionally draining, financially costly, and prevent long-term healing. This blog explores two conditions that often present with overlapping symptoms—Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)—and highlights the risks of leaving C-PTSD untreated into adulthood.

C-PTSD and ADHD can appear similar on the surface, with both potentially involving inattention, poor concentration, and impulsivity. These shared features often lead to confusion in assessment, especially when trauma is not fully explored during evaluation. However, C-PTSD is rooted in chronic, prolonged trauma and is marked by symptoms like emotional dysregulation, persistent negative self-perception, flashbacks, nightmares, and difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships—features not typically found in ADHD.

Because the treatment approaches for C-PTSD and ADHD differ significantly, obtaining an accurate diagnosis is essential. ADHD treatments often focus on behavioral modification and sometimes medication, while C-PTSD requires trauma-informed interventions, such as EMDR, cognitive processing therapy, or other specialized modalities. When left untreated, C-PTSD can lead to worsening mental health, self-destructive behaviors, and increased risk of substance use.

At Origins Recovery Center, we understand how unresolved trauma and misdiagnosed mental health conditions can contribute to addiction. Our dual diagnosis treatment program is designed for women and men whose substance use is closely linked to underlying issues like C-PTSD. By providing integrated care that addresses both mental health and addiction, we help clients find lasting recovery through accurate diagnosis, personalized therapy, and a holistic path forward.

Similarities between C-PTSD and ADHD

C-PTSD and Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can overlap in the presentation of symptoms in several ways. Inattention, hyperactivity or restlessness, impulsivity, and executive functioning difficulties are among them. It’s important to get an assessment by a trained professional and not rely on symptoms only to self-diagnose.

Inattention: Both C-PTSD and ADHD can cause problems with attention and focus. Individuals suffering from C-PTSD may struggle to focus or maintain attention due to hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, or emotional anguish connected to their trauma. Individuals with ADHD may also suffer from a short attention span, distractions, and weak organizational skills.

Hyperactivity/Restlessness: ADHD symptoms include restlessness and hyperactivity. The appearance of hyperarousal in C-PTSD may stem from heightened vigilance, impatience, or trouble relaxing. This hyperarousal state in C-PTSD is frequently confused with the hyperactivity found in ADHD.

Impulsivity: Impulsivity is a key characteristic of ADHD, in which people act without thinking about the consequences. Impulsive behaviors can also emerge as a coping technique in C-PTSD, with patients engaging in impulsive acts or drug use to manage their emotions or avoid upsetting memories.

Executive Functioning Difficulties: Both circumstances can make executive activities, including planning, organization, time management, and decision-making, more difficult. This might make it challenging to complete everyday activities, finish work duties or school assignments, or maintain routines with any consistency.

Potential for Misdiagnosis

Some symptoms of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) overlap, making diagnosis difficult. An incorrect mental health diagnosis can have a number of consequences for the individual’s well-being, therapy, and general quality of life. Some of the potential outcomes of an incorrect mental health diagnosis include delayed or inappropriate treatment, medication mismanagement, psychological and emotional distress, unnecessary medical expenses, and missed opportunities for support.

Effects of Untreated C-PTSD in Adulthood

Untreated C-PTSD from your childhood can have significant and long-lasting impacts on you as you transition into adulthood. It can contribute to long-term emotional and psychological problems which can includes symptoms like acute anxiety, despair, emotional dysregulation, and hopelessness. You may also have poor self-esteem, feelings of shame or guilt, and difficulty trusting others and creating healthy relationships. Within relationships, you may experience intimacy issues, struggle with setting boundaries, and show patterns of withdrawing during any conflicts. You may struggle with developing a consistent and positive sense of self and have recurring issues with self-worth and self-acceptance. Untreated C-PTSD may result in chronic pain conditions, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular problems, and other stress-related health issues. Your educational and professional life may also be impacted. Concentration, memory, emotional management, and self-esteem issues can all interfere with work performance, career growth, and academic accomplishment.

C-PTSD and SUDs

Adults with untreated C-PTSD are more likely to turn to drug use or self-medication to cope with their emotional anguish and discomfort, or to reduce the intensity of traumatic memories. This substance use may compound their challenges and lead to additional issues in numerous aspects of their lives. They may begin to misuse alcohol or drugs more frequently and develop a substance use disorder. Someone with untreated C-PTSD who struggles with judgment and impulse control may return to substance abuse even after facing financial, legal, and medical troubles. Symptoms can even continue to affect a person who tries to get help for drug or alcohol problems. Underlying trauma can significantly impact your response to treatment, your motivation, and your ability to engage in recovery.

Getting Help for C-PTSD at Origins Recovery Center

A correct diagnosis of mental health needs can be difficult because symptoms might overlap between disorders and may be presented differently in different people. With an accurate assessment of your C-PTSD, a program can be customized to address your underlying trauma and your history of substance use with co-occurring disorder treatment. Trauma-focused therapies include evidence-based interventions to assist you in processing traumatic memories, challenging negative trauma-related beliefs and ideas, and developing coping strategies to manage uncomfortable feelings and symptoms. One of those interventions, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing or EMDR, uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping, while revisiting painful experiences. This aids in helping you process traumatic experiences and reduce the emotional distress associated with them.

Origins Texas Recovery is a well-known care provider offering a range of treatment programs targeting the recovery from substance use, mental health issues, and beyond. Our primary mission is to provide a clear path to a life of healing and restoration. We offer renowned clinical care for addiction and have the compassion and professional expertise to guide you toward lasting sobriety. For information on our programs, call us today.

*This article is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be regarded as a replacement for professional medical advice. While the content has undergone Origin Texas Recovery’s thorough editorial review process, it may not necessarily represent the opinions, policies, or procedures of our facility or staff. We strive to ensure that our content is medically accurate; however, treatments evolve, and we cannot guarantee the current accuracy or reliability of the information provided. For medical emergencies, call 9-1-1 immediately.