ADHD and Anxiety Disorders
This is often accompanied by feelings of restlessness, being "keyed up" or constantly on edge, problems with concentration (or mind going blank), sleep disturbances, muscle tension, irritability, fatigue, and feeling overwhelmed.
Restlessness and fidgety behavior associated with ADHD can be reduced by taking exercise breaks. Walking and running, and activities like yoga or meditation that incorporate deep breathing and mindfulness can be beneficial and induce relaxation and calm.
Differences in emotions in people with ADHD can lead to 'shutdowns', where someone is so overwhelmed with emotions that they space out, may find it hard to speak or move and may struggle to articulate what they are feeling until they can process their emotions.
Take, for example, ADHD. While most people associate ADHD with hyperactivity and impulsivity, it can also manifest in more subtle ways, such as through intrusive thoughts and overthinking.
It's a chronic state of stress related to the struggle to live with ADHD, a stress that breaks down emotional tolerance, stamina, and a sense of wellbeing and spiritual health. The chronic, lifelong nature of ADHD-related stress can increase to become a syndrome akin to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
ADHD vs Anxiety: What's the Difference? The difference between ADHD and anxiety ultimately comes down to whether or not the individual is not focused because of fearful, apprehensive thoughts, or is not focused because of being easily distracted even though their mind is calm.
Untreated ADHD in adults can lead to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. This is because ADHD symptoms can lead to focus, concentration, and impulsivity problems. When these problems are not managed effectively, they can lead to feelings of frustration, irritability, and low self-esteem.
How do you treat ADHD without medication? For adults with ADHD, cognitive behavioral therapies help to reduce distractibility and improve organizational skills. Also, teaching relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and guided imagery is helpful.
Once you're in bed, with lights off, use ADHD-friendly tools to help you relax, like a white noise machine, earplugs, or soothing music to counteract your racing thoughts. Relax one muscle at a time, starting at your feet and moving up, breathing out each time you reach a new muscle group.
Sometimes, anxiety can occur independently of ADHD. Other times, it can be as a result of living with ADHD. A person who has ADHD and misses a work deadline or forgets to study for an important exam can become stressed and worried. Even the fear of forgetting to do such important tasks may cause them anxiety.
Blue hues are known for slowing down the heart rate, reducing respiratory rhythm, and encouraging calm and focus. In general, stick with muted or pastel shades, and avoid primary colors. Cut down on abrasive background noise when having a conversation.
ADHD and anxiety often go hand-in-hand. Research indicates that nearly half of adults with ADHD also have an anxiety disorder. A hallmark of both is the inability to relax.
Symptoms of ADHD can have some overlap with symptoms of bipolar disorder. With ADHD, a child or teen may have rapid or impulsive speech, physical restlessness, trouble focusing, irritability, and, sometimes, defiant or oppositional behavior.
People with ADHD tend to experience life more intensely than others. This means that even if you're hyper-focusing on a certain task or assignment in front of you, you can still have many other thoughts and ideas coursing through your brain. It can feel like there's always a lot going on, which may become overwhelming.
They have a low threshold for outside sensory experience because the day-to-day experience of their five senses and their thoughts is always on high volume. The ADHD nervous system is overwhelmed by life experiences because its intensity is so high. The ADHD nervous system is rarely at rest.
Becoming easily overwhelmed and distracted can sometimes be hallmark symptoms of ADHD. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, people with ADHD might experience symptoms like: restlessness. difficulty focusing.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with heightened levels of anxiety; up to 50 percent of individuals with ADHD have one or more comorbid anxiety disorders (Schatz and Rostain 2006; Yoshimasu et al.
It's normal to feel overwhelmed from time to time. However, if you have ADD/ADHD, you may find yourself feeling this way more often than others. This can be due to the fact that people with ADD/ADHD tend to have difficulty filtering out information and may become overloaded with stimulation.
Try Relaxation Techniques
Learning relaxation methods, like yoga, deep breathing, or meditation, are great ways to promote calm and reduce stress from ADHD sensory overload.
These are some of the ADHD symptoms that the brain can experience. An intrusive thought means that a person is thinking about something that can be irrelevant, unproductive, and even dangerous to themselves or other people. These negative thoughts are generally baseless and can cause stress.