Can ADHD cause anxiety? This has been on the tip of the tongue of many people and we are here to answer this question in detail by explaining everything in the words below. Along these lines, we are going to discuss if ADHD induced anxiety is a thing or if it is otherwise a different case. There is a precise reason behind it: A lot of folks think it comes as a package deal. Whether it’s the truth or not, let’s find out!
Defining Anxiety First
Anxiety is natural as it is part of the fight or flight response that resides in the amygdala and hypothalamus areas of the brain, the parts of the brain that are also responsible for mood and function.
While modest stress is good from the evolutionary point of view, anxiety can sometimes go overboard, especially if you think about it in the contextual setting of modern urbanism. It is irrational sometimes, especially if it is the case that there is an underlying mental issue such as OCD.
Anxiety is capable of inducing different types of symptoms that range from but are not limited to racing heart rate, heavy breathing, hives, onset of depression, lethargy, and impaired processes such as broken focus.
Read More: Different levels of Anxiety & stages of anxiety recovery
Defining ADHD
ADHD, also called attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is capable of impairing executive functioning. When we talk about executive dysfunction, we are essentially talking about how ADHD’s symptoms like impaired focus, inability to concentrate on one task, procrastination, disorganization, time blindness, object permanence, and hyperactivity can affect the day-to-day functioning of the affected individual, which makes it a debilitating developmental disorder.
There is also a positive side to it. Some of its uncommon symptoms such as hyperfocus can help with things such as goal setting and learning a new ability. ADHD’s onset usually comes in childhood but it can go well into adulthood if it is left untreated.
Read More: ADHD in adults: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
The Connection Between ADHD and Anxiety
If you are asking questions like “Can ADHD cause anxiety?”, then surely you are essentially wondering about the connection between ADHD and anxiety or if it is really the case of ADHD causing anxiety. First of all, let us just remove this doubt from your head: ADHD is not an anxiety disorder. Not by a long shot. So, how do they connect? Is it the case that ADHD causes anxiety or is it the case of co-occurring ADHD with anxiety?
Anxiety can obviously exist without ADHD and the same is the case with ADHD. Rest assured! Basically, these two are not mutually exclusive or otherwise. But what happens is that people who have ADHD, are inherently anxious people precisely because of ADHD. They have to worry about how ADHD will interfere with their everyday life and are essentially afraid of living an unproductive life due to ADHD. ADHD affects cognitive processes, as we have mentioned before, so ADHD people start to have anxiety about these affected cognitive processes. It won’t let them have a fulfilling life as they will not be able to sustain good grades, work diligently, or even maintain relationships.
Read More: Normal Brain Vs ADHD Brain – How We Are Wired Differently
This is what forms the cusp of our discussion here. ADHD people are essentially anxiety-prone as ADHD with anxiety is like when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force and the affected individual is in between worrying about what will happen and how that person is going to be affected. If these feelings and situations continue to persist for people with ADHD, they can lead to an anxiety disorder. This finally puts a lid on your questions like, “Is ADHD and anxiety related?”, “Is ADHD a form of anxiety?”, or “Can ADHD give you anxiety?”.
Signs and Symptoms of Co-existing Anxiety and ADHD
Their symptoms can sometimes be overlapping because for many, ADHD and anxiety tend to be similar (no wonder they keep on asking questions like, “Can ADHD cause anxiety?”. Some of the common symptoms between them are:
- Social anxiety
- Inattention
- Fidgeting
- Lethargy (especially when it comes to work)
What Differentiates These Two?
Anxiety disorders are primarily about nervousness, worry, and fear, while on the other hand, ADHD is all about restlessness, hyperactivity, and lack of attention or absence of focus. People who have chronic anxiety often display compulsive or perfectionist behaviors, which aren’t commonly seen in individuals with ADHD.
While people with anxiety disorder will suffer from a lack of concentration, it tends to be temporary. In ADHD, lack of concentration is one of the main symptoms and affects executive functioning as it can be as debilitating as bipolar disorder or an eating disorder. Hopefully, this answers a lot of questions like, “Can ADHD cause anxiety?”.
Read More: ADHD and Anxiety: Let’s Discuss The Link and Coping Strategies
Treatment Options for Treating ADHD and Anxiety
There are a couple of ways one can treat both ADHD and anxiety but it is not as simple as that. Together, they can make daily activities more difficult. A person with ADHD who also has anxiety may find concentrating on tasks even more challenging. But treatment should still be tried in a way that helps us treat both of them together. This can be done by ensuring you get treatment options such as psychotherapy, psychiatric medication management, or a combination of these two.
Psychiatric medication management
Stimulant medications, which are commonly used to treat ADHD, can be a major cause of anxiety symptoms, so other non-stimulant medications may be prescribed. Anti-anxiety medications might also be considered for treatment. To ensure a mix-up doesn’t happen, a monitored version of medication such as psychiatric medication management can be used.
Psychotherapy
An example of psychotherapy, which means talk therapy, is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This short-term goal-based intervention helps people to change their thinking patterns in order to positively influence their behavior by helping them look inward into that behavior. CBT is widely used for anxiety disorders and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of GAD and many other conditions, in addition to being helpful for ADHD -affected individuals. After trying out these, we are sure you will stop asking questions such as, “Can ADHD cause anxiety?”.
Read More: Psychotherapy For ADHD in Adults
Conclusion
This is the end, we have answered everything related to a question like, “Can ADHD cause anxiety?”, in addition to questions like, “Can you have anxiety and ADHD?”, Can ADHD cause anxiety in adults?, or “Does ADHD give you anxiety?”. If you are looking for treatment options such as the ones above or flexible options like telehealth psychiatry for treating ADHD and anxiety or something way worse such as schizophrenia or psychosis, then book an appointment today at Inland Empire Behavioral Group.
