Is It ADHD? It Could Be Anxiety

May 26, 2020 by Next Step 4 ADHD ADHD / ADD, Anxiety and Stress 0 comments

Can’t concentrate? Struggling with focus? It’s tempting to think you’re dealing with ADHD, but could anxiety be the culprit? Anxiety and ADHD are very different mental health conditions, but sometimes they share similar symptoms (like not being able to concentrate). To make it more confusing, sometimes both conditions occur at once. According to the National Resource Center on ADHD, about 53% of adults and 30% of children with ADHD also have anxiety.

To help shed light on the issue, we’ve talked to Dr. Brian Briscoe. In this post, we’ll answer all of your questions, including:

What are the “look-alike” symptoms between anxiety and ADHD?
What are the symptoms of anxiety? What are the symptoms of ADHD?
How do I know if I’m dealing with ADHD and anxiety?
How are co-occurring disorders are treated?

What Are the Common Symptoms of ADHD and Anxiety?

Before we dive into the shared symptoms of ADHD and anxiety, let’s look at each condition separately.

Symptoms of ADHD

There are three main categories of ADHD symptoms: inattentiveness, impulsivity, hyperactivity. As a result, some of the common signs and symptoms of ADHD include:

Impulsiveness
Poor time management skills
Disorganization and problems prioritizing tasks or projects
Problems focusing on a task
Trouble multitasking
Excessive activity or restlessness
Poor planning
Low frustration tolerance
Difficulty concentrating

Symptoms of anxiety

There are many types of anxiety disorders, including OCD and generalized anxiety disorder. Symptoms vary depending on which type of anxiety disorder is present. Common symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include:

Feeling intensely nervous
Feeling restless
Increased heart rate
Breathing rapidly
Sweating
Trembling
Feeling weak or fatigued
Trouble concentrating
Difficulty thinking about things other than the present worry

Anxiety can also cause physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, and an upset stomach.

The Link Between ADHD and Anxiety

Both anxiety and ADHD can cause a person to experience trouble focusing and/or a significant level of distractibility.

Anxiety can lead to distractibility

Typically, distractibility is seen as one of the major signs of ADHD, so how is it connected to anxiety? Dr. Briscoe explains why this lack of focus develops in an individual with anxiety: “An individual struggling with an anxiety disorder can sometimes struggle with focus and completing tasks and projects because the mind is fixated on an anxious obsession (rumination) and then wanders off into an area of worry that is often very difficult to control.”

ADHD can lead to anxiety

On the flip side, the consequences of living with ADHD can also lead to anxiety-provoking situations. Dr. Briscoe continues: “People living with ADHD often struggle with organization, time management, and completing sequential tasks/projects. Details can fall through the cracks. Deadlines can be missed. Projects and problems can pile up over time, creating real life problems and a consequent burden of stress that can cause anxiety.”

Some persons with ADHD experience anxiety more intensely than others. For some, the experience of anxiety can interfere with life to the point that it can be quite distressing. Some persons with ADHD experience co-occuring anxiety disorders like Generalized Anxiety Disorder, PTSD, Social Phobia, and/or OCD.

Shared symptoms of anxiety and ADHD

We’ve just covered the symptoms of ADHD, the symptoms of anxiety, and how the two can be linked. The most common look-alike symptoms include:

Distractibility
Inability to focus
Difficulty relaxing
Feelings of restlessness

What to Do If You’re Dealing with Anxiety and ADHD

An accurate diagnosis is key to feeling better. If you are exhibiting the signs of anxiety and/or ADHD, complete an evaluation with a licensed mental health professional. Preferably, seek a professional who is well-versed in ADHD. Dr. Briscoe reminds us that this is essential because the “complex interplay between ADHD and anxiety is sometimes overlooked and/or misunderstood.”

Treating ADHD and Anxiety at the Same Time

If you have been diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety — or you suspect you have both — it’s normal to have a lot of questions:

Can you treat two conditions at once?
Will treating ADHD make the anxiety go away?
Are they connected or do they have separate causes?

The answers aren’t exactly black-or-white. Dr. Briscoe explains, “A licensed mental health professional can clarify the diagnosis and design a customized treatment plan based on your own unique situation. It is sometimes the case that a person may be struggling with anxiety, and not ADHD. In these cases, treatment of the underlying anxiety — through therapy and, if necessary, medication — should significantly improve one’s ability to focus. If not, then it is possible that a co-occurring diagnosis of ADHD may still be present and treatment indicated.”

In some cases, however, untreated ADHD can lead to anxiety.

In some cases a professional may determine that untreated ADHD is the underlying root cause of anxiety, and treatment for the ADHD can lead to improvement.”

Your Next Steps

In many cases, the professional may recommend treatment for both anxiety and ADHD. Whatever the case, know that here at Next Step, we generally recommend comprehensive treatment approaches that rely on more than medications alone. Our team-based, multidisciplinary approach includes therapy, education, coaching, and more. It’s our goal for our clients to reach their optimal potential in life.

Trying to deal with ADHD on your own can be difficult, but with our innovative approach, you’re never alone. We are here to guide you with your next steps. If you’d like to learn more about us or set up a confidential discussion with one of our professionals, you can complete this form for a virtual appointment. Alternatively, call our Louisville, Kentucky office at (502) 907-5908.

References:

https://chadd.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/coexisting.pdf