It is important to understand that the different forms of anxiety and ADHD are completely separate diagnoses. However, it is not seldom that one experiences symptoms of both. In some cases, they can occur together by chance, but often one influences the other. For example, if ADHD leads to a more stressful life in work or relationships, anxiety may increase, while heightened anxiety can lead to an even further deterioration of attention and impulse control in ADHD.
HealthLine has published a brief chart that may be illustrative:
| ADHD symptoms | Anxiety symptoms | |
| difficulty concentrating or paying attention | ✓ | ✓ |
| trouble completing tasks | ✓ | |
| forgetfulness | ✓ | |
| inability to relax or feelings of restlessness | ✓ | ✓ |
| difficulty listening to and following instructions | ✓ | |
| inability to focus for long periods of time | ✓ | |
| chronic feelings of worry or nervousness | ✓ | |
| fear without an obvious cause | ✓ | |
| irritability | ✓ | |
| trouble sleeping or insomnia | ✓ | |
| headaches and stomachaches | ✓ | |
| fear of trying new things | ✓ |
It is always important that a healthcare professional makes the diagnosis, but as you can see, there are some symptoms that occur in one condition but not in the other.
Treatment of Anxiety and ADHD
Treatment for anxiety and ADHD is quite different, both on the psychological and on the medication side. ADHD medication can even increase certain types of anxiety. However, many people suffering from a combination of anxiety and ADHD are helped by mental health interventions. Particularly in milder cases of anxiety and ADHD, psychotherapy and counselling alone may be sufficient. For example, reducing stress in life, whether in work or in relationships, can improve both anxiety and ADHD.
Stressors can be external or internal. Being in work or in a relationship that goes against one’s fundamental needs, values, and aspirations, can lead to stress. Maladative strategies in dealing with tasks or other people can also lead higher stress level. Psychotherapy and councelling can be helpful in understanding the underlying dynamics that maintain the heightened stress and anxiety levels and finding solutions to resolve them.
The WHO’s diagnostic manual ICD-10 describes anxiety disorders and ADHD as follows:
F40 Phobic anxiety disorders
A group of disorders in which anxiety is evoked only, or predominantly, in certain well-defined situations that are not currently dangerous. As a result these situations are characteristically avoided or endured with dread. The patient’s concern may be focused on individual symptoms like palpitations or feeling faint and is often associated with secondary fears of dying, losing control, or going mad. Contemplating entry to the phobic situation usually generates anticipatory anxiety. Phobic anxiety and depression often coexist. Whether two diagnoses, phobic anxiety and depressive episode, are needed, or only one, is determined by the time course of the two conditions and by therapeutic considerations at the time of consultation.
F41 Other anxiety disorders
Disorders in which manifestation of anxiety is the major symptom and is not restricted to any particular environmental situation. Depressive and obsessional symptoms, and even some elements of phobic anxiety, may also be present, provided that they are clearly secondary or less severe.
F40.1 Social phobias
Fear of scrutiny by other people leading to avoidance of social situations. More pervasive social phobias are usually associated with low self-esteem and fear of criticism. They may present as a complaint of blushing, hand tremor, nausea, or urgency of micturition, the patient sometimes being convinced that one of these secondary manifestations of their anxiety is the primary problem. Symptoms may progress to panic attacks.
If you want to find more information on the diagnostic criteria of ADHD, you can do so here: CDC – Symptoms and Diagnosis of ADHD
Some people who relate to these patterns also experience social anxiety — an intense fear of being judged or watched in social situations — which can overlap with both anxiety and ADHD.