Do people with add/adhd tend to also have anxiety?:)

I know I have a lot of anxiety about when I will screw up next. :)

Live with it every day, one of the reasons why I'm a pothead.

T-BAss

Anxiety and Depression combined with ADHD(...remember ADHD likes to pair up with something else). Or...anxiety and depression caused by how hard life can be with ADHD.

There are some new studies indicating that those with ADHD innattentive subtype might have a greater predisposition towards anxiety/ depression then the other two types of ADHD.

Wow...thanks nice to know I am not the only one who suffers from anxiety and add. Now if I could only determine the difference between anxiety and stress :)

I was so glad to see this thread about add, anxiety, and depression which I deal with. I was just diagnosed with the add but have had the depression and anxiety for years. I am taking medication for all three. Effexor xr, trazadone, xanex, and adderall xr. I've been looking for people who is on a similar med regimen or who deals with all these disorders. I'm the only one I know who does.

I see the core driver of both ADHD sub-types as being Inner Anxiety but each sub-type having different ways of dealing with it:

1) being impulsive and coming out over-assertively or aggressively which is the "hyperactive" sub-type (the "under-inhibited" "under-conscientious" or "over-assertive" type of adhd): UNDER-INHIBITION

2) being "afraid" or "unable" to "come out" and not knowing how. As a result they get so stuck in internal anxiety and depression that they can no longer pay attention or think straight because they can only hear their inner noise. They cannot hear their "Inner Signal". This is the "inattentive" and "distractable" sub-type. (this is the "over-inhibited" "over-conscientious" "under-assertive" or "passive" type of ADHD): OVER-INHIBITION

The stereo-typical male tends to come out over-aggressively and tends in our culture to be more diagnosed because it is apparent and they impact others with their impulsive hyperactivity and lack of inhibitory restraint.

The stereo-typical female tends to try to repress or deny their aggression as it is not so socially acceptable in our culture and as a result, tends to hold their anxiety in where it turns to panic/anxiety and ultimately burned out depression. This doesn't get noticed as much and therefore less females get diagnosed.... I'll also bet that if statistics were tallied up that we'd also find significantly less diagnosis of the "innattentive" type as a whole - regardless of gender - simply because it is not so apparent and it doesn't impact others as much. This does not mean that there are less "inattentive" sub-types, it simply means that the "inattentive" types are going undiagnosed more frequently... Also as these "innatentive" types tend to be "under-assertive" and have low self-esteem as well, they often will not even ask for help for themselves - feeling too "ashamed" to come out in the open with it.... Another reason why this type doesn't get recognized and diagnosed.


The hyperactive subtype unloads their anxiety through impulsive hyper-activity.

The "innattentive" subtype inhibits their outlet for their anxiety so they hold it in and it turns into panic/anxiety attacks and depression.

Both types "have" anxiety but the "hyper-active" type unloads it through compulsive and impulsive activity. This "hyperactive" type also impacts other people with their impulse and inconsideration so they tend to get diagnosed much quicker because others are impacted and it becomes recognized. Those who are just "innattentive" or "distractive" tend to "hold it all in" so it rarely gets noticed and even if it does, it does not impact others so badly so it is much less likely to "require" being addressed... Even though INSIDE the "inattentive" adhd person needs thier anxiety addressed as much as the "hyperactive" sub-type does. From their personal perspective, even more so because these types have no outlet to unload their anxiety.

I beleive anxiety drives BOTH of these types of ADHD. But the "hyperactive" sub-type releases it (and impacts others in the process which is why it gets diagnosed more frequently). Get rid of the core anxiety, and I beleive both sub-types symptoms will go away. This is why I beleive the psychostimulants work well for both types - they help the inner anxiety go away in both sub-types...An inner satiation arises with the medication that releives the inner anxiety that both sub-types feel. The "hyperactive" then no longer has to find outlets to releive their anxiety through activity or aggression and the "innattentive" starts to feel satiated and confident enough inside themselves as a result of the medication's "signal amplification" to start to be more expressive and spontaineous (less inhibitory or shy).

Blessings,

...Dan

We inattentives seem to have a degree of limbic dysfunction which can cause all sorts of depression/anxiety.

I have had depression and anxiety for years. I recently read about ADD, and the symptoms I have seem to indicate it is a possiblity for me. I talked to my Dr. about it this week and she said that because I have a job and did well in school it is impossible for me to have ADD. She said her other patient with ADD/ADHD had been married 7 times and never had a job for more than 2 weeks. She thinks I may be bipolar and gave me samples of Risperdal to take. From what I have read about Risperdal, I don't really even want to try it.

So I have a question, If you have ADD, can you tell pretty quickly if ritalin or whatever Rx you have helps you to concentrate and eliminate the storm in your head? Do you feel less overwhelmed? I am sick of the anxiety. Has anyone been diagnosed as bipolar when in fact they were ADD? What happened? Thanks for any info! :cool:

I have had depression and anxiety for years. I recently read about ADD, and the symptoms I have seem to indicate it is a possiblity for me. I talked to my Dr. about it this week and she said that because I have a job and did well in school it is impossible for me to have ADD. She said her other patient with ADD/ADHD had been married 7 times and never had a job for more than 2 weeks. She thinks I may be bipolar and gave me samples of Risperdal to take. From what I have read about Risperdal, I don't really even want to try it.

So I have a question, If you have ADD, can you tell pretty quickly if ritalin or whatever Rx you have helps you to concentrate and eliminate the storm in your head? Do you feel less overwhelmed? I am sick of the anxiety. Has anyone been diagnosed as bipolar when in fact they were ADD? What happened? Thanks for any info! :cool:jeaniebug,

I'm new to ADHD treatment so my opinion is just that, my opinion; but my experience should still be instructive.

I've been in my current relationship for 8 years, have held jobs for years at a stretch, and have a college GPA of nearly 3.7 (although I haven't finished college yet)-- all before I sought treatment for ADHD/OCD/anxiety. I think your doctor has a rather narrow definition of ADD/ADHD in my humble opinion. But rule out bipolar. So many mental disorders overlap and can be one thing when they look like another. If you're unsure of your doctor's judgment, get a second opinion.

As to my experience with treatment: the morning I took my first Adderall (5 mg) was revelatory. My mind calmed and I felt focused; in control. It was an awareness I don't think I had ever felt. Now, several weeks later, the newness has worn off, but I know the meds are still working.

Not everyone experiences results that quickly, sometimes it takes weeks. Some don't respond to medications at all. Sometimes it takes months to find the right meds, the right dosage, the right timing. I'm responding well on stimulants (adderall), but it does exaserbate the OCD/anxiety so I take prozac and klonopin for that. My doc says were treating several things, so trying to balance focus with stimulants while not increasing anxiety is key.

Be patient. Talk to your doctor.