Dyslexia and Trauma: Uncovering the Hidden Link

Trauma?

Yikes...That's the last word most people would associate with dyslexia.

Most folks think of dyslexia as a language-based difficulty affecting with reading and writing.

Well, they'd be right, but there's a whole other side to the story.

WAIT, WHAT?

According to Psychology Today, trauma means a wound, shock, or injury.

But it's not just physical.

Psychological trauma is the emotional distress you experience from an event that overwhelms you, leaving you unable to process it.

It can be a single event or a series of things, making you feel unsafe and constantly on edge.

You might replay the experience in your head, and it can change how your brain works, making you super sensitive to threats.

Now, does any of that resonate with your experience living with LEX?
.
How often do current situations trigger memories of past dyslexic struggles? Maybe moments you'd rather forget, but that still impact you today?

🔔 Listen, I'm not trying to be a downer but acknowledging this missed connection is critical to living with dyslexia.

THE LINK BETWEEN DYSLEXIA AND PTSD
​
Once you can connect dyslexia to trauma, then you can connect it to PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).

 ✅ Some experts believe dyslexics experience emotional challenges similar to PTSD

 ✅ PTSD affects brain function, which can mess with the parts of your brain responsible for memory, focus, and concentration.

 ✅ PTSD can often influence our behavior, decisions and actions in ways we're completely unaware of

This matters... 

KATHLEEN DUNBAR LMFT: 

She's a big name in the dyslexia and trauma world

In her work, "Anxiety and Fear, PTSD, Trauma and Panic Attacks," she talks about how undiagnosed dyslexia in school can lead to being called "stupid" or "lazy."

Imagine teachers forcing you to read aloud in front of the class, knowing full well you struggle? Or maybe they just ignore you entirely?

Kids are naturally curious and want to learn.

But when you see your peers succeeding and you can't, despite trying everything "normally," that constant feeling of failure is brutal.

Other kids might then join in, making fun of you, excluding you, or bullying you.

School becomes a warzone and those experiences can be traumatic.

Even as adults, that fear of failure and rejection linger.

New situations can be super stressful, especially around others.

This constant anxiety can even lead to panic attacks or isolation.
​
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

it's about awareness.

Recognizing this connection between dyslexia and trauma is a big deal.

Most people wouldn't know this unless they were digging deep in psychology journals  which ain't exactly light beach reading, right?

Because dyslexia shapes your whole world, a big part of succeeding on your terms is understanding your relationship to it.

By acknowledging the link between trauma, dyslexia, and PTSD:

     ✔️ You can take ownership and make informed decisions about your mental health and emotional fitness 

     ✔️ You can learn to use tools and adopt strategies to manage these challenges and Own Your Dyslexia