Anxiety and ADHD

[Guest]

Hello all,

I don't know if there is a forum for this topic. I cannot entry the ADHD forum, it keeps giving me an error. But anyways, I was wondering if anyone has experience with anxiety and ADHD medication. I currently have both disorders. From my understanding, ADHD can cause anxiety. Do you know if taking ADHD medication can help eliminate the anxiety?

Currently, I've been taking rapsuB (reverse) for about 1.5 months and it has helped a lot. It has taken the edge off of the anxiety a lot. I just got esnavyV (reverse) and wanted to find out some more information before taking it. 

I would really like to hear about peoples opinions and experiences with these disorders and medications.

Thanks!

 

[BennyDiazapine]

I do. I take addy 30mg IR 2x daily, along with 4mg++ of alprazolam + 2-4mg clonazapam.

Glad to hear that the Busp is helping you. I was given it a chance, but with my anxiety i knew that it wouldn't have helped. Looking back in hindsight, i should have given it a try before diving into the world of benz hell that i suppose was/has been created.

Vyvanse is a great adhd med. I personally prefer dexedrine or addys, however I like Vyv due to the D-amp, however the L-protein bond makes the euphoria of the D-amp mellow, thus i believe that it is more of a controlled adhd med, that has less potential for abuse. I also find that there isn't such a rollercoaster effect of euphoric high's and crashing lows, but more of a smoother graphed curve throughout the day. I think if you like the Vyv, stick with it!!

 

[Dr.Ann]

Hello all,

I don't know if there is a forum for this topic. I cannot entry the ADHD forum, it keeps giving me an error. But anyways, I was wondering if anyone has experience with anxiety and ADHD medication. I currently have both disorders. From my understanding, ADHD can cause anxiety. Do you know if taking ADHD medication can help eliminate the anxiety?

Currently, I've been taking rapsuB (reverse) for about 1.5 months and it has helped a lot. It has taken the edge off of the anxiety a lot. I just got esnavyV (reverse) and wanted to find out some more information before taking it. 

I would really like to hear about peoples opinions and experiences with these disorders and medications.

Thanks!

​Hi deibiddo1985,

I am going to give you the fact's right out of a medical publication as this is going to provide you with the most accurate info pertaining to your question and as 30 to 40 percent of people with ADHD have an anxiety disorder, which includes “obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, social anxiety and panic disorder,” So I do believe this post will be helping more then just yourself as you are defiantly not alone on this one. With my ADHD I get anxiety from the medication it's self this is very common as the medication being a stimulant to your central nervous system it send's your body into overdrive your senses sight smell all the it taken up a notch so it puts a strain of the body as it is trying to adjust to these new things and being pushed to process data faster. Now Onto why they Co-Occur ADHD With Anxiety, Cheer's,

Dr.A-

ADHD symptoms can be very intrusive and make life a lot more stressful. For instance, you might miss a critical deadline at work and get fired, forget about your math final and fail the exam or act impulsively and put yourself in danger. Even the fear that you might forget something can keep people continuously worried and anxious.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 People with ADHD tend to be sensitive, which can leave them especially “vulnerable to feeling things more deeply and being more affected by situations and emotions,

How Anxiety Affects Treatment“Anxiety adds another element to ADHD treatment, because you are both developing strategies for the ADHD symptoms and working with the resulting anxiety simultaneously,” Olivardia said It also potentially complicates treatment because anxiety can paralyze and leave people stuck in their old ways. As Tuckman said, “People who are anxious are less likely to try new things for fear of them not working out—this includes new strategies to help them get on top of their ADHD.”Anxiety has another side effect. “We don’t think as clearly when we feel anxious or preoccupied which can add to the ADHD-based distractibility and forgetfulness,” Tuckman said. This can happen particularly with more complex problems, he added.

Anxiety & StimulantsStimulant medications are highly effective in treating ADHD. But stimulants “can sometimes exacerbate anxiety symptoms,” Olivardia said. Still, symptoms should subside after several days or weeks, Tuckman said.

Also, these symptoms actually might be responses to the medication. According to Tuckman, “the physical sensations of faster heartbeat, dry mouth, etc. are just normal reactions to the medication, just as we would expect that our heart rate would increase after running up a flight of stairs.”

If people can’t tolerate stimulants, psychiatrists may prescribe a non-stimulant along with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which has anxiety-reducing effects. (Tuckman noted that non-stimulants may be less effective than stimulants.)

However, if a person doesn’t want to take several medications, they might decide to medicate one of the disorders and cope with the other behaviorally, Olivardia said.

Also, therapy is very effective for anxiety, said Tuckman, who typically “prefer to address the ADHD first and then see how much of the anxiety shakes out on its own…”

Anxiety-Alleviating Strategies

• Understand how your anxiety and ADHD work. Determining how your anxiety functions will help to “inform your treatment,” Olivardia said. “For example, if you found that most of your anxiety was coming from consequences of your ADHD, then the focus of treatment should be the ADHD. If you find they are independent of each other, although are affecting each other, then you want to make sure you are adequately giving each the clinical attention it deserves,” he said.
• Minimize worry. Anxious people worry excessively, and these negative thoughts can run your life if you let them. Instead, “Try to come up with alternate explanations or predictions,” Tuckman said. Let’s say your boss was short with you. Instead of thinking that you did something wrong, consider that she’s stressed because of personal reasons, he said. Unless you have a specific reason or actual proof, worrying is needless (and only makes things worse).
• Don’t believe everything you think. Again, worry thoughts energize anxiety. But you don’t have to listen to them. “Notice your anxious thoughts without believing everything your imagination comes up with nor feeling compelled to act on it,” Tuckman said.He explained that anxiety acts as an alarm that “warns us of danger.” For some people, this alarm is super sensitive. He compared it to a “fire alarm that goes off every time someone burns the toast. It’s bothersome to listen to that alarm go off, but we don’t go running from the building. We check out the situation, see there is nothing to worry about, then go about our business.”
• Engage in healthy habits and good self-care. Poor nutrition, lack of sleep and little exercise also fuel anxiety, and ensure you have a shorter fuse when it comes to stress. It’s tremendously helpful to eat nutritious foods, participate in enjoyable physical activities and get enough sleep.
• Minimize stress. Olivardia suggested that readers “lower [the] stress in their lives and introduc[e] activities that they enjoy and feel soothed by.”
• Surround yourself with supportive people. Negative people only add to your stress. Instead, fill your life with “positive, affirming people,” Olivardia said.
• Practice relaxation techniques. “Engaging in relaxation training and deep breathing can help [alleviate anxiety],” according to Olivardia. Learn more about relaxation and meditation methods and deep breathing.

 

[Guest]

​Hi deibiddo1985,

I am going to give you the fact's right..........

​

Thanks Dr.Ann. I do appreciate it.

From your own personal experience, did the anxiety associated with the ADHD medication subside after a period of time? If so, how long?

I just started esnavyV (reversed) 20mg, I noticed I wasn't fully clear headed and focused as I would have hoped. How long did the medication take effect for you?

Also, I have been becoming an alarmingly forgetful lately. Like I'm 29 and I feel like I'm on the verge for dementia. I would repeat many conversations or topics to my friends. After midway in the conversation I would realize I already told them the exact same thing. About to do a task and suddenly forget what I was suppose to do. I don't know if it's because I'm living a in-active life due to not working at the moment or if it's a symptom of ADHD and/or anxiety. Any thoughts about this?  

Thanks again for everything. 

-deibiddo1985

 

[sadminion]

Just a question, do you have depression or fibromyalgia?  I ask because I get just like that and they call it a fibro fog...seems to go with depression too.  I thought i was losing my mind.

 

[Guest]

I do. I take addy 30mg IR 2x daily, along with 4mg++ of alprazolam + 2-4mg clonazapam.

Glad to hear that the Busp is helping you. I was given it a chance, but with my anxiety i knew that it wouldn't have helped. Looking back in hindsight, i should have given it a try before diving into the world of benz hell that i suppose was/has been created.

Vyvanse is a great adhd med. I personally prefer dexedrine or addys, however I like Vyv due to the D-amp, however the L-protein bond makes the euphoria of the D-amp mellow, thus i believe that it is more of a controlled adhd med, that has less potential for abuse. I also find that there isn't such a rollercoaster effect of euphoric high's and crashing lows, but more of a smoother graphed curve throughout the day. I think if you like the Vyv, stick with it!!

and

Just a question, do you have depression or fibromyalgia?  I ask because I get just like that and they call it a fibro fog...seems to go with depression too.  I thought i was losing my mind.

​

Hey BennyDiazapine and sadminion,

BennyDiazapine, I would recommend trying it out again and making sure that you find the right dose for you during the process. I used to take benzos (Clonazepam and Lorazepam) and they helped a lot but I felt like they masked the anxiety versus helping me transition to coping/resolving it. Plus, I stopped because it was making me extremely forgetful and this bothered me a lot.

With Buspar, at first it sucked because after taking one pill, I would feel drunkish/dizzy for an hour but then it would go away. That was only side effect I got and it was very short lived. Over a week, I didn't really notice that at all. The anxiety was still there but I kept pushing through. After several weeks to over a month, I can say that it has helped a LOT (no more side effects too)! It's very different from benzos medications. Instead of a sedation feeling, I feel like I can manage or actually think normally. I don't feel tired or lazy like a benzo but close to being normal. 

Don't get me wrong, I still get anxious off and on (a lot fewer than before) but it's easier to manage. The best way to describe it is that, anxiety before would paralyze me in every way. It's like I was walking and suddenly I become completely crippled. But on Buspar, the very few moments I get anxiety, It's like I don't become paralyzed. I actually become slightly nervous in a sense that I understand the situation may make me uncomfortable but I can manage it or better yet say, "fuck you anxiety" and it goes away. This in itself has made me feel in control and no longer disabled. 

Right now, I'm in a search for finding what is really affecting me. From the research I have done, I found out that Anxiety and ADHD can co-exist together and the symptoms of those can range from Depression, AODD (Alcohol or Other Drug Disorders), etc. My anxiety could be caused from ADHD. So, after a month of taking Vyvanse, I'm hoping that my anxiety will go away by itself, showing me that it was only a symptom of ADHD (I was recently diagnosed for, btw).

It's kind of weird learning about this. Here are some examples of what I mean. I hope I explained this properly.

ADHD causes -> Anxiety which also causes  -> Other Disorders
or
ADHD causes -> Alcoholism/Drug Addiction which causes -> Anxiety which can cause -> Depression and so forth.
or
Anxiety+ADHD causes -> Depression causes -> Conduct Disorder -> etc -> etc 
or
Depression causes -> Anxiety causes -> other disorders

etc

If you eliminate the root disorder, everything starts to fall apart. My shrink told me that I had just Anxiety and I was suffering depression because it was a symptom of my Anxiety. Once I started treating the Anxiety, I no longer was depressed. 

In theory, I'm hoping that this is the case for me and that I only have one true root disorder which is ADHD, everything was just a symptom of that symptom, etc. That way I can single out what's wrong with me and just go on one medication instead of two. 

Don't get me wrong, I do realize if I treat the root disorder, there may be remnants of the other disorders but they are easier to manage and can slowly be treated through Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, hopefully eliminated them completely. 

Sadminion, yes, I did have depression before and no, I do not have fibromyalgia. Also, what you are describing from what I researched recently is depression can cause forgetfulness/memory loss. Keep in mind that most antidepressants and anxiety medications can cause exactly what you have described. 

I have been taking St. John's Wort (3 times a day) and Melatonin (3 mg to 5 mg at night). My doctor recommended St. John's Wort for anxiety which really didn't do anything for it and Melatonin to help me fall a sleep at night due to racing thoughts keeping me up. The Melatonin I found was amazing, really encourage me to fall asleep and I woke up feeling refreshed. Now, I continue to take the St. John's Wort because it did improve my mood and I thought why not.

I'm still forgetful but I slowly feel like my memory is coming back and I'm thinking that treating the ADHD with Vyvanse is becoming a lot more beneficial than anything else. 

sadminion, I hope you find the cause and solution for your fibro fog. 

If you haven't figured out, I think it's safe to say that the Vyvanse is in full affect! LOL. I've been reading like crazy and becoming an extreme chatty-cathy. I probably over shared but hey, doesn't hurt, eh?

-deibiddo1985