Black children may be acting out because of trauma, not ADHD

After a stressed-out mother called me several times recently to help deal with her11-year-old son, who had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and accused of acting out at school, I set up a wrestling-as-therapy session.

In mentoring school-age boys, it helps to channel emotion and let it dissipate so clear thinking can take over. This particular 20-minute session at the Baltimore Police Academy seemed like forever. This boy had a lot of pent up rage, and as I pinned him down during our session, it broke my heart to see him hold back tears and refuse with every twitching muscle to allow himself to be vulnerable.

And yet, I whispered in his ear that it was OK to feel. I refused to let him go.

As founder of Project Pneuma — where we teach young men the art of forgiveness, self-control and discipline — I see what our kids are going through on daily basis. What’s being diagnosed as an attention deficit disorder is very likely to be a symptom of trauma, especially in the homes and communities of black children.

Black children nationwide are experiencing emotionally painful or distressing encounters that have lasting mental and physical effects. To name a few: socioeconomic hardship, divorce, family drug use, family mental illness, neighborhood violence, incarceration of a parent or guardian, death of parent or guardian, domestic violence, racial or ethnic discrimination. These are all conditions black youths are subjected to at an early age and can help explain why medication doesn’t always alleviate attention deficit symptoms.

Black children nationwide are experiencing emotionally painful or distressing encounters that have lasting mental and physical effects.