Medications For ADHD and Anxiety
The medications that treat ADHD are often effective for anxiety, too. Drugs like amphetamine or methylphenidate increase the levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Antidepressants as well as nonstimulants like atomoxetine could also be helpful.
In certain instances, stimulant medications can worsen anxiety symptoms. If that's the case, your doctor could prescribe a different medication or switch medications altogether.
Stimulants
Stimulants are typically the treatment of choice for people suffering from ADHD who also have anxiety. They are believed to help both ADHD and anxiety because they boost the brain's production of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps to improve concentration and decreases the impulsivity. It also helps with motivation and memory.
adhd medication list like amphetamines and methylphenidate block process of reuptake, which keeps dopamine and norepinephrine in higher levels in your brain. This improves focus and decreases the tendency to be impulsive making it easier to manage anger and other emotions that cause anxiety.
Stimulants can also have unintended effects which is that they sometimes increase anxiety symptoms. Your child or you could also be struggling to get enough sleep. They can also decrease appetite, which could hinder in eating enough to maintain healthy growth. Certain people also experience tics, which are sudden movements or sound like eye blinks and throat clearing. These side effects, although common, can be reduced or eliminated by certain techniques.
It's important to recognize that each person reacts differently to stimulants and non-stimulant ADHD medications. It may take a little trial and error to discover the right combination of medications dosages, schedules, and dosages for your child or yourself.
When determining a treatment plan, your physician will take into account your specific health issues and lifestyle. They'll likely suggest a therapy to manage anxiety and observe your response to medications to determine which options are the best for you.
Treatments for anxiety can interact with certain ADHD medications. For example, Adderall can make anxiety worse in some children with comorbid ADHD and anxiety. Psychostimulants could alter the way the brain processes information about potential threats from the internal and external environment.
However, this doesn't mean that ADHD and anxiety can't be treated together. It's also possible that improving ADHD symptoms can help reduce anxiety, too, as they may reduce the amount of anxiety-provoking situations and conflicts that children with untreated ADHD confront.
Psychostimulants have proven to be effective in treating both ADHD and anxiety, as per several studies. They're usually more effective than traditional antianxiety medication for both disorders. It's possible that the improvement of anxiety with psychostimulants was a result of the improved ADHD symptoms, rather than the drug itself.