Did you know that anxiety is very common with ADHD? 50% of us with ADHD also have anxiety. This includes feeling nervous and on edge even in safe environments, increased heart rate, intrusive thoughts and intense worry, headaches, muscle aches, stomach issues, nausea, exhaustion, insomnia, an urge to avoid anything that triggers the anxiety, second guessing yourself and being unable to decide and thus feeling overwhelmed which can lead to feelings of panic.
This is something I am seeing more and more in my work with neurodivergent children who tend to also have increased rates of anxiety. Especially since COVID.
Anxiety is a fear of something happening in the future which may not happen. It may of happened in the past or it may not have done but you think it will happen in the future.
Anxiety comes from within our physiology and not knowing the difference between your perception and reality and being able to down regulate.
Those who are neurodivergent e.g., ADHD or autism or sensitive in any way are more likely to feel anxious.
To add to this, when we are sensitive, any sort of ‘trauma’ is felt much more deeply than someone who isn’t sensitive. And then what happens when we have been traumatised is that we then disassociate in future situations when triggered by a sight, sound or physiological sensation, it takes us back to the trauma and into our minds and we are no longer in the present/reality/the isness.
What anxiety feels like:
- Overthinking everything
- Not being able to focus/concentrate.
- Everything constantly overwhelming you
- Sleepless nights spent totally worried.
- Heart hurts physically and emotionally
- Little things feel like big things.
- Can lead to panic as system is so overwhelmed.
What can help
- Practicing calming activities especially before bedtime e.g. reading
- Grounding self by walking on earth
- Cold showers
- Writing down worries/problems and sharing them with someone you trust at a planned time, so you don’t spend all day/night worrying about it
- Baby steps to accept uncertainty in life as the only thing certain in life is uncertainty and change.
Hopefully this helps you. I will share more in future blogs. If you would like to learn more about this and the interactions between anxiety and ADHD then we have two upcoming groups you can attend in person ADHD Awareness Group Tickets, Mon 19 Jun 2023 at 19:00 | Eventbrite and ADHD Awareness Group Tickets, Mon 26 Jun 2023 at 19:00 | Eventbrite Or if one to one is preferred please email Amanda (amanda@findyourspark.koala-digital.co.uk) to book in either an exploratory call or an assessment to discuss how we can help you and/or your child. In the meantime, take care and look after yourself.