From Latin 'distrahere' (to pull apart) — originally meant to drive mad. 'Distraught' is the same word in its older form.
To draw away the attention of; to divert from a course of action or thought; formerly also, to drive mad or bewilder.
From Latin 'distractus,' past participle of 'distrahere,' meaning 'to draw apart, to pull in different directions, to separate,' composed of 'dis-' (apart, asunder) and 'trahere' (to draw, to pull). The word entered English in the late 14th century with the strong sense of being pulled apart mentally — that is, driven to madness or extreme confusion. The milder modern sense of 'diverting attention' gradually
The word 'distraught' is actually a Middle English variant spelling of 'distract.' Both words come from Latin 'distractus' (pulled apart), but 'distraught' preserved the older, stronger sense of mental anguish while 'distract' softened to mean merely 'diverted.' They are the same word that diverged into two.