Did you know that 30-40 percent of people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (commonly known as ADHD) also have an anxiety disorder? When I read this article today, I wasn’t surprised to learn this at all.
Because it perfectly describes me.
In fact, I mistakenly focused on trying to fix my social anxiety disorder for years. It wasn’t until I shifted focus to my ADHD that I found relief from both conditions.
Was I ever surprised when my ADHD treatment automatically fixed my social anxiety!
It seems that ADHD is very common among people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), phobias, and panic disorder. According to the article by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S.:
In other words, “People with ADHD, especially when untreated, are more likely to feel overwhelmed and to have more things fall through the cracks which evokes more frequent negative situations—others are angry with them, they feel disappointed in themselves,” said Ari Tuckman, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and author of More Attention, Less Deficit: Successful Strategies for Adults with ADHD.
I know that feeling of overwhelm very well. I would get terribly frustrated by my lack of ability to focus. I would lose conversational threads. I got down on myself and lost confidence in my abilities to handle most social or work situations.
Socially, I often found myself with nothing to say because I couldn’t pay attention to conversations like other people. This triggered my social anxiety, which made it even more difficult to concentrate.
In work, I couldn’t focus on what I needed to do, which led to poor job performance. That made me fall behind even further because of the anxiety I felt over not being able to get my job done. It became a downward spiral and kept me from living the life I knew I could lead.
So what’s the solution? For some it’s stimulants. That’s actually what worked for me.
When I began taking Adderall, a whole new world opened up. Not only was I able to focus on my work for 8 hours a day like normal people (without having to take 3 power naps or down 12 cups of coffee), but my social ability improved. I could think of things to say and respond “in the moment” to people without having to take 3 minutes to think of an answer.
Many people resist taking medications for several reasons. They may feel that living life on a pill is un-natural.
I felt this way too. I wanted to just be “me.” But what I didn’t realize is that this “me” was born with a deficit. The pill… however un-natural it feels to take it every day… has had an impact on my life eerily similar to Bradley Cooper in the movie Limitless when he first takes the pill called NZT:
Yeah, that’s exactly how it felt to me. When I saw that scene, I laughed out loud. “Somebody made a whole movie about Adderall!”, I said to my friend.
Two important points here:
1. I take medication under the supervision of a medical doctor with whom I meet for regular therapy to monitor my progress. Taking it on your own is risky and can kill you.
2. Everybody is different. Do not take my experience as something you should do. We are all wired in very unique ways. What works for me may be poison to you. Talk to your doctor.
The only reason I write this is because I was in mental pain for 20 years. I foolishly resisted medication because of a fear of being “un-natural” or an Internet-spread belief that the pharmaceutical companies are evil.
Heck, maybe they are. But they’ve certainly helped me. I wish I had done it sooner. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here writing this blog. I’d be staring at the trees “waiting for inspiration” that would never arrive.
But for some people selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) work better. Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, and Prozac are some popular brand names of these. Personally, I found these to be ineffective. You may have an entirely more positive experience.
In all cases, therapy helps. Only by addressing your own symptoms with a professional can you truly understand how to make the best choices for you.
And don’t forget good nutrition, exercise, and proper rest.
If you think you have ADHD and anxiety or a combination of both, talk to your doctor.
Click here to watch a short video about the ROOT CAUSE of all anxiety.
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