Even when the surface seems calm, ADHD can impact well-being, stress, and anxiety.
I recently spoke with Dr. Sarkis about the connections between ADHD, stress, and anxiety, with a focus on the struggles of highly successful people who struggle with the effects of ADHD.
Mark Bertin: Stephanie, I wanted to ask you today about the connection between the inattentive type of ADHD, stress, and anxiety. I saw a statistic recently that up to 75 percent of women with persistent anxiety also have ADHD. I’m not sure where that exact number came from, but what do you think?
Stephanie Moulton Sarkis: We do know that in studies of women with ADHD, the rate of comorbidity with anxiety disorders is clinically significant. This means that it is pretty likely that anxiety will be present with ADHD. This finding applies to all subtypes of ADHD—inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive, and combined.
There can be primary anxiety, for example, when you inherit (and express) the genes for anxiety and ADHD. There is also secondary anxiety, where you can develop anxiety due to the chronic stressors of ADHD. These stressors, as seen in studies, include being underemployed, having difficulty reaching your potential, having unfulfilling relationships, more challenges in parenting, and having a higher amount of debt than non-ADHD peers. Fortunately, there are treatments available for both ADHD and anxiety.