Medications For ADHD and Anxiety
Treatments for ADHD are often effective for anxiety, too. Stimulants like methylphenidate or amphetamine increase the levels of certain neurotransmitters within the brain. Antidepressants and nonstimulants such as atomoxetine may also help.
In adhd medication names may worsen anxiety symptoms. If this is the case, your doctor might prescribe another medication or switch medications.
Stimulants
Stimulants are typically the treatment of choice for people suffering from ADHD who also have anxiety. These drugs are believed to help with both ADHD and anxiety by increasing the brain's natural production of dopamine, an neurotransmitter that improves concentration, decreases impulsivity and supports memory and motivation.
Stimulant drugs such as methylphenidate or amphetamines block the reuptake of norepinephrine as well as dopamine, which keeps them at higher levels in the brain. This improves concentration and decreases the tendency to be impulsive, making it easier to control anger and other emotions that could cause anxiety to become worse.
However, stimulants can also have an an unexpected side effect: they sometimes increase anxiety symptoms. They can also trigger sleep issues, which means you or your child might have trouble getting enough restful sleep. They can also cause a decrease in appetite, which could hinder in eating enough to maintain healthy growth. Many sufferers also experience tics, which are sudden movements or sound such as eye blinking and throat clearing. These side effects, while common, can be reduced or eliminated by some simple methods.
It's important to remember that each person responds differently stimulants or non-stimulant ADHD medication. It might require some trial and error with various medications, dosages and schedules to find the right combination that works for you or your child.
When determining an appropriate treatment plan, your healthcare provider will consider your specific health issues and lifestyle. They'll likely recommend a treatment to manage anxiety and observe your response to medication to determine which treatment options are most suitable for you.
Certain ADHD medications may interact with medications for treating anxiety. For instance, Adderall can make anxiety worse for children who have comorbid ADHD and anxiety. Psychostimulants may affect the way that the brain processes information regarding potential threats from the external and internal environment.
This doesn't mean that ADHD and anxiety can't be treated together. It's also possible that treating ADHD symptoms can reduce anxiety, too, since they may reduce the amount of anxiety-provoking situations and conflicts that children with untreated ADHD confront.
In general, psychostimulants appear to be effective for improving both ADHD and anxiety in a number of studies. They are generally more effective for both disorders than traditional antianxiety medications. It's also possible that the improvement in anxiety that psychostimulants provide is a direct result of the improvement of ADHD symptoms, rather than an actual interaction with the drug.