“What should I treat first, if I have both ADHD and some other issue like anxiety?

IIf you or your partner have ADHD, you may be wondering “what should I treat first, if I have both ADHD and some other issue like anxiety?”

First of all, it’s very common for people with ADHD to also struggle with something else like depression or anxiety, or oppositional defiant disorder, or even dyslexia is also pretty common. Alcohol dependence or substance abuse or other conditions like tourettes or learning disabilities or sleep apnea may also be happening.

So again, you may be wondering where do we even begin? Especially if this is a “later in life” diagnosis. So knowing what to treat first is usually going to be at the discretion of your doctor.

So if you have a history with depression in addition to ADHD your doctor may choose to start treating them both at the same time. Or maybe they prescribe an antidepressant for your depression and a stimulant medication for ADHD. Perhaps they recommend talk therapy and some cognitive and behavioral sort of techniques to help you regulate your attention. If trauma history is at play, supposed adhd symptoms may be improperly labeled as attention issues when they’re trauma related and would benefit from more intensive trauma treatment.

Maybe you have a shorter term or situational depression and your doctor may suggest treating these ADHD symptoms first and then depression might be lifted; maybe you have been feeling down lately because you’ve had have so many ADHD symptoms and it's wreaking havoc on your life.

So there is some flexibility for possible treatment there if you or your partner are struggling with ADHD and something else. So I think it's very important to individualize treatment and to develop a really good relationship with an expert who really specializes in ADHD as well as the other issues at play.

It’s also finally important to note that there are a lot of missed diagnoses. So sometimes people may think they have ADHD but they actually don’t. So if you are sleep deprived or have sleep apnea or drink too much caffeine or take too many stimulants, or have untreated trauma or grief, there can be many other issues causing these symptoms.

If you’re having a lot of distraction, it could also be something biological. It could also be a mood disorder such as bipolar disorder, as that is often confused with ADHD. If if someone has a lot of rage or lomg periods of sleep deprivation. A lot of energy or manic behavior, or racing thoughts, impulsive behaviors like overspending or doing things in excess to the detriment of other areas of one’s life can mimic ADHD, too. Certain substance abuse or addictions could be creating these symptoms, too.

Therefore, it’s very important to see an expert psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse who can distinguish between the various possible diagnoses.

No matter what, don’t despair! If you’re looking to get help, whether it’s ADHD, mood disorder, addiction, or any other possibility, there is always a way to get help with a trusted expert who can hold your hand and guide you (or you and your partner) through the process!

Click on the bottom link to watch our latest video on this full topic in detail, with our Director and Gottman-Trained therapist at Couples Counseling ATL, Stephanie Cook, where she explains everything in further detail!

Finally, stay tuned these next couple of weeks to learn more about different upcoming topics!