ADHD Comorbidities

One thing that’s becoming clearer, is that ADHD rarely is a standalone condition. Right now the estimate is that 1 in 2 people with ADHD also suffer from another condition simultaneously. 

The most common comorbidities (as they are called) are autism (AuDHD), anxiety, OCD, learning difficulties such as dyslexia and depression. There are of course more.

Without being a medical professional, I question whether anxiety or depression are highly likely for most people with ADHD seeing how much symptoms can impact people’s lives or whether they are in fact completely independent from the ADHD. From the various studies I’ve read, the research isn’t quite clear on how someone can differentiate between the two.

However, treating the cause correctly is what is essential to an ADHDer’s progress and stability. As if you’re treating your ADHD with medication for example, it may also treat the anxiety as part of it, or it could have no effect on it at all. This would be the same for depression, you would hope that the cause determines the medication. What ends up happening is somewhat trial and error that determines what medication is effective to the individual’s symptoms, as unfortunately it is never a one size fits all and everyone single person with ADHD is different.   

Literature and personal stories have made it obvious that misdiagnosis of symptoms is extremely common, evident in the amount of people diagnosed later or too late in life (after all ADHD diagnosis in adults is only 16 years old!). 

The current stats for these ADHD comorbidities in adults is: 

• 50% of people with ADHD also have anxiety (Schatz and Rostain 2006; Yoshimasu et al. 2012)

• 50% of people with ADHD also have depression (source)

• 50% of people with ADHD also have autism (AuDHD) 

• 50% of people with ADHD have a learning difficulty (source)

…You can see where I’m going with this, it is unfortunately so unbelievably common for people with ADHD to also have another co-existing condition, maybe even several. 

It’s also the very reason for so much misdiagnosis. What I can say for every single one of my clients is that with their ADHD Diagnosis came relief, but also grief for the years of mistreatment of their symptoms and subsequent difficulty in life.