Anxiety and ADHD in Adults

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUnderstanding Anxiety and ADHDHow They InteractTelling Anxiety and ADHD ApartTreating Anxiety and ADHD

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Understanding Anxiety and ADHD

How They Interact

Telling Anxiety and ADHD Apart

Treating Anxiety and ADHD

Anxiety and ADHD are very different, but it isn’t uncommon for people with ADHD to experience anxiety symptoms. Poorly accommodated ADHD can be stressful, which may explain why about half of all adults with ADHD also have a co-occurring anxiety disorder.

Because there can sometimes be overlap between anxiety and ADHD, distinguishing between them can sometimes be challenging. Both ADHD and anxiety can cause people to feel restless and unable to concentrate.

At a GlanceAnxiety and ADHD are separate and distinct, but it is not uncommon for them to occur together. This can create additional challenges and complicate diagnosis and treatment. It is important to remember that ADHD involves differences in how a person’s brain works, it’s not something that needs to be ‘fixed’ or ‘cured.’ Learning more about ADHD and getting the right type of support may help reduce symptoms of anxiety, but you may also need treatments that specifically target anxiety symptoms, including therapy and medication.

At a Glance

Anxiety and ADHD are separate and distinct, but it is not uncommon for them to occur together. This can create additional challenges and complicate diagnosis and treatment. It is important to remember that ADHD involves differences in how a person’s brain works, it’s not something that needs to be ‘fixed’ or ‘cured.’ Learning more about ADHD and getting the right type of support may help reduce symptoms of anxiety, but you may also need treatments that specifically target anxiety symptoms, including therapy and medication.

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In addition to theanxiety symptoms associated with ADHDdescribed above, research does find a strong association between ADHD and anxiety disorders. Around 50% of adults with ADHD also have an anxiety disorder.

Characteristics of ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a form of neurodivergence that first appears in childhood. ADHD brains differ in terms of structure and function, which can lead to challenges with hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity.

People with ADHD brains may struggle to pay attention and put off doing things that don’t hold their interest. They may have difficulty focusing, seem distracting, and struggle with planning. In some cases, such behaviors can look a lot like anxiety.

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Symptoms of Anxiety

Anxiety disorders can manifest themselves in a variety of physical, mood, cognitive and behavioral symptom patterns. Common features of these disorders are excessive anxiety, worry, nervousness, and fear.

Anxiety also leads people to procrastinate or avoid making decisions. Or they might constantly ask others for reassurance to help manage their worries.

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How Anxiety and ADHD Influence One Another

ADHD can make many aspects of daily living more stressful. Traits such astime blindness, restlessness, and trouble focusing can make everyday tasks and obligations challenging. People may have anxiety separate from their ADHD, but it isn’t unusual for people to feel anxiety due to living with ADHD.

This can lead to problems at school and work. Relationships can also suffer. The frustrations that this brings can take a toll on self-esteem, contribute to stress, and result in feelings of anxiety.

Distinguishing Between Anxiety and ADHD

Anxiety and ADHD can contribute to problems concentrating, insomnia, difficulty meeting deadlines, and restlessness. However, there are key differences between the two.

On the other hand, if you find it hard to focus because you are so anxious, then the problem itself is the anxiety and not your ADHD.

Anxiety and ADHD can make daily living more challenging when they occur together. Both can contribute to problems with focus, increasedprocrastination, and poor time management. A combination of anxiety and ADHD can also make daily life seem more stressful and overwhelming.

Certain features of ADHD can overlap with anxiety, but being neurodivergent in a neurotypical-centered society can also create fear, worry, anxiety, andtrauma.

Whether or not a person meets the diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder, it is clear that symptoms of ADHD can result in chronic anxiety that can further impair a person’s functioning, happiness, and level ofself-esteem. Getting the right kind of support and treatment can help.

Having both ADHD and anxiety may also complicate the treatment process.While the two conditions can occur together, they are distinct and require different management approaches.

Anxiety is typically treated with psychotherapy, although medications may also be prescribed.

Therapy

Types of therapy that can be effective include:

Therapy can also help people with ADHD learn more about how their brain works, challenges they might face, and strategies to help them cope more effectively.

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Medication

Medications are often prescribed to treat ADHD.Stimulant medicationsare most commonly used, butnon-stimulant optionsmay also be prescribed.

Sometimes, people may experience increased anxiety symptoms when they first start taking stimulant ADHD medications. This effect often goes away over time as the body adjusts to medication, but you should talk to your doctor if the problems persists.

Anti-anxiety medications are also an option, depending on the individual and their needs. Anti-anxiety medications may includeantidepressants,benzodiazepines, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

ADHD Medication and Anxiety

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Lifestyle Modifications

If you have anxiety and ADHD, there are also a number of self-help strategies that may help you cope with feelings of anxiety.

Relaxation Techniques

There are a number of effective relaxation techniques that can help people manage symptoms of anxiety. These includedeep breathing, meditation,mindfulness, visualization, andprogressive muscle relaxation.

Sleep

Anxiety and ADHD can interfere with sleep, so finding ways toimprove your restmay be beneficial. Strategies that can help include avoiding caffeine in the afternoon, going to bed at the same time each night, and creating a restful sleep environment.

Physical Activity

Studies have shown that exercise may help improveexecutive functioningin people with ADHD.Research has also shown thatexercise can be very effectivein reducing anxiety symptoms.

The key to staying active with ADHD is to choose activities that you enjoy. If something doesn’t hold your interest, you’re bound to get bored. Instead, try something fun like biking, rock climbing, swimming, dancing, or gymnastics.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Quenneville AF, Kalogeropoulou E, Nicastro R, Weibel S, Chanut F, Perroud N.Anxiety disorders in adult ADHD: A frequent comorbidity and a risk factor for externalizing problems.Psychiatry Res. 2022;310:114423. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114423Koyuncu A, Ayan T, Ince Guliyev E, Erbilgin S, Deveci E.Adhd and anxiety disorder comorbidity in children and adults: diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2022;24(2):129-140. doi:10.1007/s11920-022-01324-5Mehren A, Reichert M, Coghill D, Müller HHO, Braun N, Philipsen A.Physical exercise in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - evidence and implications for the treatment of borderline personality disorder.Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul. 2020;7:1. doi:10.1186/s40479-019-0115-2Aylett E, Small N, Bower P.Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice - a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Health Serv Res. 2018;18(1):559. doi:10.1186/s12913-018-3313-5

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Quenneville AF, Kalogeropoulou E, Nicastro R, Weibel S, Chanut F, Perroud N.Anxiety disorders in adult ADHD: A frequent comorbidity and a risk factor for externalizing problems.Psychiatry Res. 2022;310:114423. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114423Koyuncu A, Ayan T, Ince Guliyev E, Erbilgin S, Deveci E.Adhd and anxiety disorder comorbidity in children and adults: diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2022;24(2):129-140. doi:10.1007/s11920-022-01324-5Mehren A, Reichert M, Coghill D, Müller HHO, Braun N, Philipsen A.Physical exercise in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - evidence and implications for the treatment of borderline personality disorder.Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul. 2020;7:1. doi:10.1186/s40479-019-0115-2Aylett E, Small N, Bower P.Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice - a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Health Serv Res. 2018;18(1):559. doi:10.1186/s12913-018-3313-5

Quenneville AF, Kalogeropoulou E, Nicastro R, Weibel S, Chanut F, Perroud N.Anxiety disorders in adult ADHD: A frequent comorbidity and a risk factor for externalizing problems.Psychiatry Res. 2022;310:114423. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114423Koyuncu A, Ayan T, Ince Guliyev E, Erbilgin S, Deveci E.Adhd and anxiety disorder comorbidity in children and adults: diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2022;24(2):129-140. doi:10.1007/s11920-022-01324-5Mehren A, Reichert M, Coghill D, Müller HHO, Braun N, Philipsen A.Physical exercise in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - evidence and implications for the treatment of borderline personality disorder.Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul. 2020;7:1. doi:10.1186/s40479-019-0115-2Aylett E, Small N, Bower P.Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice - a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Health Serv Res. 2018;18(1):559. doi:10.1186/s12913-018-3313-5

Koyuncu A, Ayan T, Ince Guliyev E, Erbilgin S, Deveci E.Adhd and anxiety disorder comorbidity in children and adults: diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2022;24(2):129-140. doi:10.1007/s11920-022-01324-5

Mehren A, Reichert M, Coghill D, Müller HHO, Braun N, Philipsen A.Physical exercise in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - evidence and implications for the treatment of borderline personality disorder.Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul. 2020;7:1. doi:10.1186/s40479-019-0115-2

Aylett E, Small N, Bower P.Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice - a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC Health Serv Res. 2018;18(1):559. doi:10.1186/s12913-018-3313-5

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At a Glance#

Get Help Now#

Characteristics of ADHD#

Symptoms of Anxiety#

How Anxiety and ADHD Influence One Another#

Distinguishing Between Anxiety and ADHD#

Therapy#

Medication#

Lifestyle Modifications#

Relaxation Techniques#

Sleep#

Physical Activity#