You would be forgiven for thinking that there’s been a huge spate of overdiagnosis when it comes to ADHD. The news is talking about the fact that more people than ever before are being diagnosed with ADHD, and that many systems simply aren’t built to accommodate neurodiverse people effectively. A new story is in the media every few days, and you probably know at least one person who has been diagnosed with ADHD later in life.

But the real news is that there hasn’t been any rise in ADHD – we’re just much more aware of it now. To bring more awareness to it, we’d like to highlight something many people don’t talk about, and that’s the link between ADHD and mental health.

What’s ADHD Like?

The first thing to know is that ADHD is considered neurodevelopmental, and not a mental health issue. Having ADHD doesn’t automatically mean you will have poor mental health, and many ADHD traits, like creativity, unique thinking and high energy, are all positive.

ADHD can affect people in different ways, depending on which type of ADHD they have. The main symptoms of ADHD include:

Inattention: Difficulty paying attention, staying on task or being organised.

Hyperactivity: Being extremely restless or constantly moving, including in situations where it’s not appropriate.

Impulsivity: Acting without thinking, interrupting others or having difficulty with self-control.

When being assessed for ADHD, a psychologist will ask a wide series of questions of you and your family, as well as observe you during the assessment. They will then tell you which ‘type’ of ADHD you have – inattentive, hyperactive or combination.

Symptoms of ADHD can begin in childhood, and are usually noticeable before the age of 6. They have to be present in more than one environment (for example, home and school), and have started before age 12. Many adults are diagnosed later in life, especially if there has been a big change in their life that has made their symptoms worse.

If managed properly, people with ADHD can live a completely normal life. It’s usually managed with a combination of medication, lifestyle changes and learning coping and management skills.

If all of that wasn’t enough, there are also a number of comorbid conditions that can go along with ADHD.

What’s a Comorbid Condition?

At the root, comorbidity just means you have one or more conditions happening at the same time. Sometimes a comorbidity can be completely random – you just happen to catch two illnesses at once. But more often than not, comorbidity is used to describe a condition that exits alongside a primary diagnosis, often related in some way. So when we talk about comorbidities, we really just mean ‘other conditions that are really common with whatever the main condition is.’ In this blog, the main condition is ADHD.

What Conditions Can ADHD Cause?

A lot of research is still being done into ADHD, its effects and its symptoms, since it can present so differently in different people. But what we do know is that people with ADHD are much more likely to suffer from the following:

• Depression
• Generalised anxiety
• Social anxiety
• OCD
• Conduct disorder
• Substance abuse
• Sleep problems

These conditions are considered comorbidities because their cause is almost always linked to the primary ADHD. For example, depression can be caused by the struggle with executive dysfunction impacting home or work life. Anxiety can be caused, or get worse with, the increased demand for focus or task switching, or as a result of disorganisation. Social anxiety is often tied to ADHD traits affecting social interactions, and OCD-like behaviours can become coping mechanisms for ADHD-related challenges. People with ADHD often self-medicate with substances (which can be something as simple as drinking a LOT of coffee up to illicit drugs and alcohol), and between 50%-75% of adults with ADHD also experience sleep problems.

So you see, while ADHD itself isn’t technically a mental health condition, the reality is most people with ADHD are also living with mental health struggles. 

Managing Comorbid Mental Health Conditions

When struggling with mental health issues as a result of ADHD, it’s important to remember that it doesn’t make you less than. It’s not a weakness and it doesn’t mean that things are going wrong either – it’s just another symptom of your condition. Which means it should be treated in much the same way. This often means going to your GP or your specialist psychiatrist (if you’re seeing one) to talk to them about what you’re going through. They will be able to provide you with support and advice, as well as practical support like talking therapies or medications to help with the symptoms. 

It’s also important to take a more proactive approach in your own mental health. Because people with ADHD are more predisposed to these illnesses, you are able to do something about it to keep them at bay. Many people with ADHD have said that creating a routine, exercising regularly, eating well and practising stress-reduction techniques like mindfulness, meditation and hobbies that bring joy have helped improve their mental health and can even reduce their ADHD symptoms. If you’re not sure where to start, why not give MELP a go? 

MELP is a holistic mental health support app with something for everyone. We designed it as a tool to ensure everyone can be supported whenever they need it with a therapist in their pocket. Just subscribe to get access to thousands of recipes, exercises, guided meditations and tools that can help you manage your mental health in a positive way. To find out more, just get in touch today.