ADHD Vs. Anxiety: What To Know As A Woman
Do I have ADHD? Or maybe I have anxiety? Can I have both?
If you have ever asked yourself this question, you might be curious to know the answer. Unfortunately, for many woman, they can have both ADHD and anxiety at the same time. To understand the difference, you have to ask good questions about symptoms and understand how ADHD shows up differently in boys/males vs. girls/females.
Let’s talk about ADHD and anxiety, how they relate and differ, and what women specifically should know about them.
Key Symptoms of Each
ADHD typically starts in childhood and can continue into adulthood. It’s associated with concentration and behavioral problems like hyperactivity, mismanaged attention, poor impulse control, an inability to sit still, and trouble planning and executing tasks.
Anxiety is something all of us experience, especially those with ADHD, but anxiety disorders are different. They’re characterized by feelings of intense worry and nervousness in totally normal, everyday situations. These feelings often get in the way of daily life, affecting our ability to work, study, and keep up with relationships.
Disorders can be generalized or symptoms of larger conditions, like panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hypochondria, or specific phobias.
How ADHD Feeds Into Anxiety
Some people—especially women—can get misdiagnosed because of symptoms showing up as anxiety rather than ADHD. However, a bit of deep digging can reveal an ADHD symptom that originally triggered the anxiety.
For example, a classic conundrum for people with ADHD is waiting until the last minute to do an assignment, project at work, or household chore. Despite some of the misinformed public’s belief that they choose to be lazy, ADHD people struggle with executive function. These skills determine how well we can organize and pull from working memory, keep track of time, feel a sense of accomplishment (even small ones), and prioritize our needs over our wants.
If you constantly misjudge how much time it’ll take you to complete a project, you might feel an intense amount of anxiety in the final hours. Some ADHD people even use this anxiety as a motivating booster. (Though it’s not the best lifetime strategy.)
How to Distinguish the Two
ADHD and anxiety both share a couple symptoms, like difficulty paying attention, general restlessness, and trouble sleeping.
Knowing what to look for can be difficult. If you see someone sitting at a coffee shop with a bouncing leg twirling a pen, you might think to yourself, “That person seems on edge.” While anxiety can certainly manifest as restless fidgeting, ADHD hyperactivity can also cause fidgeting, as movement often helps these people stay focused.
How to know which one is impacting you? Well, the best way to find out is by going to a mental health professional and getting a diagnosis. Some people even visit multiple psychiatrists or counselors to get a second opinion.
ADHD Underdiagnosis in Women
There are actually three types of ADHD: hyperactive-impulsive type (your traditional case), inattentive type, and combination type (a little bit of both). Due to socialized behaviors and cultural norms, women often present as inattentive more than men do. This makes it hard to diagnose girls early because teachers and parents typically look out for signs of hyperactivity.
Inattentive ADHD can look like…
Missing key details, like remembering to write the essay but forgetting to double space, one-side print, and cite your sources.
Regularly spacing out when people talk, followed by anxiety for what you missed.
Wanting to bounce from one task to another without fully finishing any.
Poor organization skills: overflowing backpacks, desks, and lockers.
Slowly processing information and asking to repeat things over and over again.
Many people with ADHD were told directly or subliminally growing up that they were lazy, stupid, or unhelpful. Poor executive functioning isn’t a choice, it’s just how your brain works. Therapists can help teach you that ADHD, anxiety, and other mental health conditions don’t define you any more than having brown hair or chapped lips do.
Ready to build some life skills as unique as you? Schedule your first session today for therapy for women.