Medications For ADHD and Anxiety
The same drugs that treat ADHD can also be used to treat anxiety. Drugs like amphetamine or methylphenidate increase the levels of certain neurotransmitters that are present in the brain. Nonstimulants like atomoxetine or antidepressants may also help.
In certain instances stimulant medications can exacerbate anxiety symptoms. If that's the case, your doctor might prescribe a different medication or even switch your medications completely.
Stimulants
Stimulants are usually the drug of choice for people with ADHD who also have anxiety. They are believed to ease the symptoms of both ADHD and anxiety by boosting the brain's natural production of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that helps in concentration, reduces impulsivity, and helps with motivation and memory.
Stimulant drugs like amphetamines or methylphenidate block the process of reuptake, which keeps dopamine and norepinephrine at high levels in your brain. This improves concentration and decreases impulsive behaviors which makes it easier to control anger and other emotions that can cause anxiety.
The stimulants can also cause unintended effects which is that they sometimes cause anxiety-related symptoms to increase. They can also cause sleep problems, so you or your child might struggle to get enough restful sleep. In addition, they could cause a decrease in appetite, which can cause problems with eating enough food for healthy growth. Certain sufferers also experience tics, which are sudden movements or sounds like eye blinking and throat clearing. Although adhd stimulant medication are common, they can be reduced or eliminated using a few simple techniques.
It's important to recognize that each person responds differently to stimulants and non-stimulant ADHD medications. It may require some trial and error with different dosages, schedules and medications to find the right combination that works for you or your child.
When creating a treatment plan, your physician will take into account your specific health issues and your lifestyle. They may recommend a treatment to reduce anxiety and will monitor your response with medications to determine the most effective treatment options for you.
Certain ADHD medications may interact with medications for treating anxiety. For instance, Adderall can make anxiety worse in some children with co-occurring ADHD and anxiety. Psychostimulants may affect the way the brain process information about possible threats in the internal and external environments and it's possible they may hinder this normal process.
However this doesn't mean ADHD and anxiety cannot be treated together. adhd stimulant medication that treating ADHD symptoms can also reduce anxiety. This is because they can decrease the number and severity of anxiety-inducing situations children with ADHD confront.
Psychostimulants are generally effective for treating both ADHD and anxiety, as per a number studies. They are generally more effective in treating both disorders than traditional antianxiety medication. It's possible that the improvement of anxiety with psychostimulants was an outcome of the improvement in ADHD symptoms rather than the substance itself.