ADHD and Anxiety: How Are They Linked?

Both attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety disorder are frequently diagnosed mental health conditions in kids and adults. It’s estimated that about 9.8 million children and 8.7 million adults live with ADHD in the United States, while anxiety affects about 5.8 million children and 6.8 million adults. 

However, you may not be aware of how interconnected ADHD and anxiety are or whether these conditions might be impacting your life or the life of someone you love.

At Clarity Psychiatric Care, we discuss your symptoms and create a customized treatment plan. A care plan for an individual living with both ADHD and anxiety disorder differs from that of a person being treated for just one.

Dr. Amy Carnall, Cristina Sertway, APN, PMHNP-BC, and Rachael Kolodziejczak, APN, PMHNP-BC, offer advanced care tailored to your individual diagnoses and needs. Furthermore, everything we do is with compassion. From diagnosis to counseling and medication management, you’re in good hands here.

A review of ADHD and anxiety disorder symptoms

ADHD manifests in children and adults differently. However, it causes life disruptions for everyone, thanks to problems focusing and impulse management. 

As you’d expect, children’s ADHD impacts school performance significantly, as these kids have problems staying on task, managing their time and work, and can’t seem to stop moving. Their symptoms can also make them impatient and challenge their peer and family relationships.

Adult ADHD symptoms can resemble unwise risk-taking, substance misuse, and work and relationship problems linked to challenges with stress and time management, as well as irritability.

When anxiety enters the picture for both children and adults, quality of life can plummet. Anxiety disorder causes persistent, disturbing, and unfounded fears that interfere with daily life. 

For example, you may find that you’re struggling with intrusive thoughts that are impossible to shake, relentless worry, or unpleasant physical symptoms ranging from heart palpitations, trembling, and sweating to changes in sleeping patterns or eating.

Some anxiety symptoms that overlap with ADHD symptoms include increased irritability, problems focusing, and uneasiness.

ADHD and anxiety: Two conditions that often coexist

It turns out that ADHD and anxiety are connected for many. Research shows that nearly one-third of children diagnosed with ADHD also have anxiety disorder, and half of adults with ADHD also cope with anxiety. Although research has yet to come up with a definitive explanation for the connection between the two conditions, there’s no doubt it’s real. 

Living with ADHD is an anxiety-producing experience. It’s no wonder that many living with ADHD also live with an anxiety disorder because they often must deal with significant stress linked to missed deadlines, the inability to listen well, and more. We now know that anxiety is the most common comorbidity (simultaneous conditions) diagnosed in people with ADHD.

When you come to Clarity Psychiatric Care, we uncover the relationship between your ADHD and anxiety. 

No matter which symptoms you’re grappling with, we can help. We’ll discuss what portion of each day is consumed by worry, your eating and sleeping habits, if there’s a family history of ADHD or anxiety, if your symptoms are keeping you from functioning in your daily life, and more.

How we treat ADHD and anxiety

We create a treatment plan designed specifically for you that might include:

• Recommendations for lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, stress management, etc.)
• Prescription medications 
• Therapy that can help with impulse control, focus, and effectively managing worry

If you’re seeking help with ADHD or anxiety symptoms, call our Cherry Hill, New Jersey office today at 856-428-1260 to schedule an appointment or book one online.