ADHD and anxiety might seem like extremely different mental ailments but for some people, it’s a package deal. Anxiety and ADHD are more connected than you can imagine. Perhaps, all those symptoms of ADHD can always contribute to more stress and anxiety and at times, even depression. We’re about to find out why that is the case:
Defining ADHD
ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that predominantly strikes in childhood and affects executive dysfunction through its symptoms like hyperactivity (as the name suggests), restlessness, impulsivity, inability to focus on the task at hand, disorganization, procrastination, fidgeting, inattention, and so much more similar symptoms. Executive function relates to the cognitive processes like focus, attention, and short-term memory that are needed for everyday tasks, which sustain life.
ADHD tends to arise between the ages of 3 and 12 but can go well into adulthood where it can get more difficult to manage if it wasn’t difficult enough during childhood. Usually, the symptoms that arise belong to either of these ADHD types:
- The inattentive type is where the affected individuals have a short attention span, are easily distracted, make careless mistakes, for example, in schoolwork, and appear to be forgetful or lose things.
- The Hyperactivity/impulsiveness type is where the affected individual constantly fidgets, is extremely talkative, displays excessive physical movement, acts without thinking, interrupts conversations, shows little or no sense of danger, and is unable to sit or stand straight even in serious situations.
- Combined typed, where the hallmarks of both the inattentive type and hyperactive type are combined to make one type.
Read More: What is ADHD? Let’s Discuss Everything About It!
What’s The Relation Between ADHD and Anxiety?
Anxiety and ADHD are not just linked in one way but in considerable ways. Let’s start with how anxiety-prone ADHD-affected individuals are. Sometimes this anxiety relates to the management of the ADHD symptoms or it can also relate to an underlying anxiety disorder such as OCD. The link between ADHD and anxiety is so strong that they are frequently diagnosed as co-occurring issues. But is there something like ADHD anxiety? Let’s find out!
This anxiety-ADHD link was magnified when the pandemic struck because just like non-neurodivergent people were forced to stay at home, so were the ADHD people and nothing makes them more anxiety-prone than staying at home as they are no longer able to go out and do things like exercise to manage their raging symptoms related to ADHD.
Is It Because Anxiety Might Be A Symptom of ADHD?
No. Anxiety is not included in the official diagnostic criterion of ADHD, as it is not mentioned in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR)’s ADHD clause. But do know this, affected individuals are 50% more likely to have anxiety disorders (Kessler et al., 2006) and other mental conditions such as bipolar disorder (Katzman et al., 2017).
Anxiety is often regarded as a mental and physiological response to a stimulus that is perceived as a threat or danger. With the touch of genetic disposition thrown in the mix and having a high hereditary rate, anxiety can quickly turn into something much worse and this worse can range from social anxiety disorder to panic attacks to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and even an eating disorder along with ADHD.
ADHD and anxiety can even royally confuse diagnosticians who are on the task of connecting the dots if you have both of these together as many of their symptoms, such as fidgeting and trouble concentrating, are essentially overlapping symptoms. Now this can make diagnosing either of these or both of these together a little difficult.
Read More: ADHD in adults: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
What to Expect From ADHD and Anxiety?
When you tend to have anxiety with ADHD, your ADHD symptoms also tend to get worse along with the overlapping symptoms of anxiety, which becomes ADHD anxiety as a result. You can expect these worsening or additional symptoms if you have an anxiety disorder and ADHD together:
- Negative feelings and persistent worry about everything (especially ADHD symptoms)
- You feel like you are always on the edge and are about to slip up anytime now
- Insomnia or trouble having a good sleep because of worsening sleep patterns brought on by anxiety
- Excessive stress stemming from and about the raging anxiety and ADHD symptoms
- Extreme fatigue and lethargy, which contribute to worsening sleep patterns
Anxiety disorders such as OCD should not be taken lightly at all as these types of mental conditions are capable of affecting relationships, work, and quality of life. This is why prompt action to treat both ADHD and anxiety is needed as soon as possible.
Read More: Normal Brain Vs ADHD Brain – How We Are Wired Differently
Can ADHD Make Anxiety Worse?
As we have said, ADHD and anxiety disorders co-occurrence tend to exacerbate anxiety and turn its symptoms into severe ones (Katzman et al., 2017). Even if you don’t have a co-occurring mental condition, you may suffer from occasional or situational anxiety in your everyday lives, exactly due to ADHD in the midst as at times, it causes debilitating symptoms such as time blindness (you never sense time elapsed), exaggerated emotions on little things, and poor working memory, which incur severe anxiety, especially due to their outcomes.
A research study (Adler et al., 2007) on ADHD proved this point by evidencing how ADHD symptoms such as tardiness, overthinking about social stigma, and procrastination essentially contributed to issues in affected individual’s work/school life and relationships, which in turn straight up lead to more anxiety because their jobs/grades and relationships were on the line. The ADHD symptoms along with anxiety also have a way of making the affected individuals fall into depression, if things are not treated on time.
How Can You Tell The Difference Between Anxiety and ADHD?
Again, as we have said before, anxiety can come as a result of ADHD and oftentimes it is about how much (or actually how little) you are able to get things done while suffering from ADHD. But how will you know if you aren’t just overwhelmed by ADHD (Did you know psychiatric medication management can help with this? More on this later!), but are suffering from the symptoms of an anxiety disorder or just plain old anxiety itself? Will you wonder if it’s anxiety or ADHD?
Of course, not all anxieties and worries are related to your ADHD struggles when you suffer from an anxiety disorder. You should consult an expert (or get psychotherapy) if you think you have more than two of these:
- You are worrying about irrational stuff
- You are not getting enough sleep
- Your fears and worries are keeping you from completing work/homework
- Your fears and worries are keeping you from having stable relationships
- You are having a hard time controlling the worries and anxiety
- Have you been feeling anxious at least three to five times a week for an hour or more a day?
- Do you have a family history of anxiety?
- Did a big event recently take place in your life (especially if it was traumatic)?
Read More: Understanding How Depression Can Cause ADHD-like Symptoms- An Informative Guide
Coping Strategies
Before we get into treatment for ADHD and anxiety, we should tell you that coping strategies exist, and most of these are related to making healthier lifestyle choices.
Regular exercise
If you have some type of high-intensity workout in your routine, then treating ADHD, and anxiety, both at the same time finds a partner and that too is the best kind. Numerous studies have suggested that regular exercise helps cope with both the symptoms of ADHD (Mehren et al., 2020) and anxiety (Anderson & Shivakumar, 2013), tremendously.
Create a schedule
A lot of anxiety and procrastination in ADHD is related to how we are not able to manage time or how we are not able to finish our tasks. For this, you can try your hand at scheduling and making a routine, especially the one that is extremely visible. You can use something like an appointment planner, or perhaps a calendar on the wall, or a digital planner kept open on a tablet where you can also use alarms.
Lower your expectations
High expectations never have a good outcome, especially when ADHD and anxiety are thrown into the mix. Reframe tasks into realistic ones and take on a mindset that things can go wrong no matter how hard you try.
Avoid the word “Should”
If you have been saying things like “It shouldn’t have been me…”, or “It should have been this way…”, then be ready for ADHD and anxiety having a field day with you. This is because things with “should” only work out one way and are no good if they don’t, contributing to anxiety and ADHD.
Treatment for ADHD and Anxiety
For treating ADHD and anxiety, it is more important to find out which one of these is more debilitating and is clearly affecting your executive dysfunction. Obviously, an expert will do that for you. That way if one of these subdues, better focus could be put on the other.
But what will ADHD and anxiety treatment do for you? Well, it can:
- Decrease your stress and anxiety significantly
- Significantly improve your attention span, so you will be able to manage your tasks better
- Give you more energy to deal with the other mental condition you are suffering from
But if it is the case that anxiety is a separate condition and not one of its symptoms, then they both should be treated simultaneously. For that, you can go for:
Read More: What is Executive Dysfunction ADHD? Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments
Cognitive behavioral therapy:
It is a form of psychotherapy (talk therapy), that helps a patient look inward into their problematic behavior and find resolving outcomes for it by talking to an expert in mental health such as a therapist or psychiatrist. Like treating difficult problems such as psychosis, it is also helpful in treating ADHD and anxiety.
Medication:
The most common ones that are used tend to be stimulants, which induce changes in brain chemicals to treat ADHD. Examples of these include methylphenidate and amphetamines. Keep in mind that one of the side effects of stimulants is anxiety, which is why these should be avoided. In its place experts may suggest non-stimulant medications such as atomoxetine (Strattera) or viloxazine (Qelbree). Antidepressants like Bupropion (Wellbutrin) and Desipramine (Norpramin) are also recommended as they help treat both anxiety and ADHD.
Relaxation techniques and meditation:
Mediation techniques such as mindfulness and relaxation techniques such as deep breathing are also helpful in ADHD and anxiety treatment as well.
Read More: Psychotherapy For ADHD in Adults
Wrapping Up!
This is the end of the line here, we hope you were able to absorb the knowledge that we have imparted here for your convenience. If it is treatment that you are looking for you can avail it from Inland Empire Behavioral Group, even for alternative treatments such as telehealth psychiatry, if you like flexibility. Otherwise, looking forward to meeting you in person.
