Medications For ADHD and Anxiety
The same medications used to treat ADHD can also be used to treat anxiety. The stimulants like methylphenidate and amphetamine boost levels of certain neurotransmitters in your brain. Antidepressants and nonstimulants like atomoxetine can also aid.
In certain instances, stimulant medications can worsen anxiety symptoms. If this is the case, your doctor may prescribe another medication or switch to another.
Stimulants
Stimulants are typically the treatment of choice for those with ADHD who also suffer from anxiety. These drugs are believed to help with both ADHD and anxiety by boosting the brain's natural production of dopamine, an neurotransmitter that improves concentration, reduces impulsivity and helps with motivation and memory.
Stimulant drugs such as methylphenidate or amphetamines block the reuptake process of norepinephrine and dopamine, thereby keeping their levels higher in the brain. This improves concentration and decreases impulse-driven behavior making it easier to manage anger and other emotions that can cause anxiety to become worse.
Stimulants can also have an unintended side effect, which is that they sometimes cause anxiety-related symptoms to increase. Your child or you could also have difficulty getting enough sleep. In addition, they could decrease appetite, which could interfere with eating enough for healthy growth. Some people experience tics too that are sudden sound or movement, such as blinking eyes and clearing of the throat. These side effects, while frequent, can be lowered or eliminated with a few simple techniques.
It's important to recognize that every person reacts differently to stimulants and non-stimulant ADHD medications. It may take a little trial and error to find the appropriate combination of medication, dosages, and schedules for you or your children.
When determining a treatment plan, your healthcare provider will take into account your individual symptoms and life style. They may suggest an approach to lessen anxiety and track your reaction to medications to determine the most effective options for you.
Some ADHD medications can interact with medications used to treat anxiety. For instance, Adderall can make anxiety more severe in children with co-occurring ADHD and anxiety. adhd without medication could alter the way that the brain processes information regarding possible threats from the internal and external environment.
This doesn't mean that ADHD and anxiety cannot be treated in conjunction. It's also possible that reducing ADHD symptoms can reduce anxiety, too, as they may reduce the amount of anxiety-inducing situations and conflicts that children who are not treated for ADHD face.
Psychostimulants have proven to be effective in treating both ADHD and anxiety, as per a number studies. They are usually more effective in treating both disorders than conventional antianxiety medication. It's also possible that the improvement in anxiety seen with psychostimulants is a direct result of the improvement of ADHD symptoms, and not a direct interaction with the drug.