ADHD & Anxiety
Approximately 3 in 10 children with ADHD will also be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety is one of the most common comorbid concerns (e.g., having ADHD & anxiety). ADHD & Anxiety are closely related in many ways.
In this week’s blog post, you’ll learn more about how they’re related and what you can do to support your child.
Telling the Difference Between ADHD & Anxiety
ADHD and anxiety are related in many ways, including that many of their symptoms overlap. Difficulty focusing is a symptom of both ADHD & anxiety and because of this, they can often look similar.
For example, a child that is anxious may appear distracted in class when they are worried about their performance in school or test grades.
On the other hand, a child with ADHD may be distracted in class due to their underlying neurodevelopmental disorder of ADHD.
Additionally, children with ADHD or anxiety may often avoid tasks or situations.
Children with anxiety tend to avoid situations that make them anxious whereas children with ADHD may avoid situations that require significant effort or sustained attention.
A child with anxiety may be reluctant to go to a birthday party because they are worried about interacting with other children. A child with ADHD may avoid going to school because of the difficult work and sustained attention required.
Even though there is a lot of overlap between the two disorders, it is also possible and common to be diagnosed with both ADHD & anxiety.
Living with ADHD can be stressful because your brain has to work in overdrive in order to keep up with organization, deadlines, and tasks to do during the day. Because of this, many children with ADHD may also have an anxiety disorder.
Assessing ADHD & Anxiety
The only way to know if your child is experiencing ADHD or anxiety is through an assessment by a mental health professional.
As a child psychologist in La Jolla, California, I help families understand if their child is experiencing ADHD and/or anxiety.
The overall evaluation process typically involves an interview and completion of rating scales by your child, parents, and teachers.
Once you have an understanding of your child’s mental health, then you can understand how to support them.
Types of Anxiety
An assessment can also help you understand the type of anxiety that your child is experiencing. There are a variety of anxiety disorders including:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder
Selective Mutism
Evidence-Based Treatments for Anxiety
One of the most effective treatments for anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy.
Cognitive behavioral therapy involves learning about anxiety and gradually approaching situations that are challenging in a supportive way.
As a cognitive behavioral psychologist in San Diego, CA, I work with kids 2-17 when they are experiencing mental health concerns such as anxiety.
Parenting Strategies for Anxiety
Treating anxiety requires a mental health professional and an individualized approach.
However, there are some strategies you can use as a parent to help support your child with anxiety.
Model coping with anxious situations.
When you are in a situation that is difficult, practice labeling your emotions and connecting them to a coping skill.
Praise brave behavior.
Example “Good job being brave.”
Encourage kids to go outside of their comfort zone.
When kids try something that is slightly challenging, they can experience increases in self-confidence.
For more resources for parenting kids with anxiety, check out the resources below:
Parenting Resources for Anxiety:
Breaking Free of Child Anxiety & OCD by Dr. Leibowitz