ADHD and Anxiety

Plain-language summary

It appears that anxiety is quite common in people with ADHD, affecting both children and adults. Research suggests that when both conditions are present, it can make diagnosis and treatment a bit more complex. While there's interest in how treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy might help both anxiety and ADHD in children, more research is still being done on the best overall approaches.

Key findings

• Anxiety is frequently observed alongside ADHD in children and adolescents, according to a meta-analysis of studies.
• The presence of both ADHD and anxiety can present significant challenges in accurately diagnosing and effectively treating individuals.
• For children with ADHD and anxiety, cognitive behavioral therapy is being explored as a potential treatment to improve outcomes for both the child and their family.
• Adults with ADHD also frequently experience anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders.
• Treating both ADHD and anxiety together requires careful consideration and a tailored approach due to the complexities involved.

Studies cited (8)

1. Psychiatric comorbidity in children and adolescents with ADHD: A systematic review and meta-analysis — Njardvik U, Wergeland GJ, Riise EN (2025, Clinical psychology review, meta-analysis)

   DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2025.102571

2. Does the treatment of anxiety in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) using cognitive behavioral therapy improve child and family outcomes? Protocol for a randomized controlled trial — Sciberras E, Efron D, Patel P (2019, BMC psychiatry, rct)

   DOI: 10.1186/s12888-019-2276-3 PMCID: PMC6854614

3. Treating ADHD and Comorbid Anxiety in Children: A Guide for Clinical Practice — León-Barriera R, Ortegon RS, Chaplin MM (2023, Clinical pediatrics, other)

   DOI: 10.1177/00099228221111246

4. Anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders in adult men and women with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A substantive and methodological overview — Hartman CA, Larsson H, Vos M (2023, Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, other)

   DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105209

5. ADHD and Anxiety Disorder Comorbidity in Children and Adults: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges — Koyuncu A, Ayan T, Ince Guliyev E (2022, Current psychiatry reports, other)

   DOI: 10.1007/s11920-022-01324-5

6. ADHD and Bipolar Disorder in Adulthood: Clinical and Treatment Implications — Salvi V, Ribuoli E, Servasi M (2021, Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), other)

   DOI: 10.3390/medicina57050466 PMCID: PMC8151516

7. Comorbidity between ADHD and anxiety disorders across the lifespan — D'Agati E, Curatolo P, Mazzone L (2019, International journal of psychiatry in clinical practice, other)

   DOI: 10.1080/13651501.2019.1628277

8. Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: clinical implications of a dimensional approach — Katzman MA, Bilkey TS, Chokka PR (2017, BMC psychiatry, other)

   DOI: 10.1186/s12888-017-1463-3 PMCID: PMC5567978