Medications For ADHD and Anxiety
The medications that treat ADHD are often effective for anxiety too. The stimulants like methylphenidate and amphetamine increase levels of certain brain neurotransmitters. Nonstimulants like atomoxetine and antidepressants may also help.
In some cases stimulant medications may cause an increase in anxiety symptoms. If this is the case your doctor might prescribe a different medication or switch to a different one altogether.
Stimulants
People with ADHD and anxiety are frequently prescribed stimulants. These drugs are believed to aid both ADHD and anxiety since they increase the brain's production of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps to improve concentration and decreases the impulsivity. It also aids in memory and motivation.
Stimulant drugs such as methylphenidate or amphetamines work by blocking the reuptake process of norepinephrine and dopamine, which keeps them at higher levels in the brain. This improves focus and reduces the tendency to be impulsive making it easier to control anger and other emotions that can cause anxiety to become worse.
However, stimulants can cause an unexpected side effects: they sometimes increase symptoms of anxiety. They can also trigger sleep problems, so you or your child could have trouble getting enough restful sleep. In addition, they could reduce appetite, which can cause problems with eating enough food for healthy growth. Certain people experience tics as well as tics, which are loud sounds or movements like blinking of the eyes or clearing of the throat. adhd stimulant medication , although frequent, can be lowered or eliminated with some simple methods.
It is important to keep in mind that every person reacts differently to stimulants and non-stimulant ADHD medications. It could take some trial and error with different dosages, schedules and medications to find a combination that works for you or your child.
When determining the treatment plan, your healthcare provider will take into account your individual symptoms and life style. They may recommend treatments to ease anxiety and track your response with medications to determine the most effective solutions for you.
Certain ADHD medications may interact with medication used to treat anxiety. For instance, Adderall can make anxiety more severe in children with the comorbidity of ADHD and anxiety. This is because psychostimulants can alter the way that the brain processes information about potential threats in the internal and external environments and it's possible they can affect the normal process of processing.
However, this doesn't mean that ADHD and anxiety cannot be treated in tandem. It's also possible that improving ADHD symptoms can help reduce anxiety, too, since they might reduce the number of stressful situations and conflicts that children who are not treated for ADHD confront.
Psychostimulants have proven to be effective in treating both ADHD and anxiety, according to numerous studies. They're generally more effective than traditional antianxiety medications for both disorders. It's possible that the reduction of anxiety with psychostimulants was a result of the improved ADHD symptoms, rather than the drug itself.