ADHD & Anxiety in Children

Why anxiety goes hand in hand with ADHD children

ADHD & Anxiety in Children

ADHD in children and adults almost never exists in a vacuum.

It’s common for children diagnosed with ADHD to struggle with anxiety, whether it’s a few symptoms or a full-blown disorder.

Some of the symptoms of ADHD, such as frequent interrupting, blurting out, fidgeting, and forgetfulness, can be very intrusive and increase stress levels. If children are consistently reprimanded for talking out of turn in school, for example, they are likely to experience higher stress and low self-esteem.

Many children diagnosed with ADHD struggle with working memory, time-management skills, and organisational skills. This can make it difficult to follow daily routines and complete both short- and long-term tasks. It can also result in chronic stress.

Emotional regulation is another challenge for children with ADHD. ADHD has a tendency to flood kids with emotions—positive or negative—which can be difficult to manage in the moment. If a child is flooded with feelings of anxiety and starts to ruminate with worry, for example, that child might struggle to make sense of his thoughts and become caught in a cycle of negative and anxious thinking.