Yes, ADHD is Genetic

And no, ADHD is not caused by trauma

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June 2023 update

This article blew up again this month, and I’m receiving some criticism from people who are new to my work. I welcome constructive criticism and respectful debate, which it has been, so I am not complaining in the least.

I do, however, wish to clarify a few important points:

• Saying ADHD is genetic is not the same as saying genetics are not influenced by environment. They are.
• Saying ADHD is genetic is not stating that trauma and other environmental influences don’t have an impact on our genetic expression. They do.
• Saying ADHD is genetic does not dismiss the influence of our life experiences on our neurology.

If you want to learn more about how ADHD and Autism can look like trauma, I have written about that as well.

ADHD is genetic (heritable)

ADHD has an estimated heritability rate of 75–80%. This means that if one of your biological parents have ADHD, you’re highly likely to also have ADHD.

Studies comparing adoptive and biological families of children with ADHD have shown that, even when raised in different environments, biological relatives still have higher rates of ADHD…